Desislava Bozhilova

Desislava Vasileva Bozhilova (born 16 October 1992) is a Bulgarian international snooker referee on the World Snooker Tour. Since passing the examination to become an international snooker referee, she has officiated ranking event finals and served as a referee at the World Snooker Championship. She refereed her first Triple Crown final at the 2022 Masters. Her second Triple Crown final as a referee came at the 2022 UK Championship.

Desislava Bozhilova
Born
Desislava Vasileva Bozhilova

(1992-10-16) 16 October 1992
Sliven, Bulgaria
Alma materUniversity of Forestry, Sofia
OccupationSnooker referee
Years active2012–present

Early life and education
Bozhilova at the 2020 Snooker Shoot Out

Bozhilova was born and grew up in Sliven, Bulgaria,[1][2][3] a city that does not have many people playing snooker.[2] At the age of 13, Bozhilova began playing pool before becoming interested in snooker by watching it on television.[4] She relocated to the Bulgarian capital of Sofia in 2012.[5][6] Bozhilova holds a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture following her graduation from the University of Forestry, Sofia in 2016,[3][7] and between snooker competitions produces 3D visualisations of homes.[2][6]

Career

She learnt of the existence of the Bulgarian Snooker Referees Association in 2011 helping people to become snooker referees and she made the decision to get involved in it.[8][9][10] Bozhilova passed the examination to become an international snooker referee the following year.[3] The first international snooker tournament Bozhilova refereed in was the 2012 Bulgarian Open on the Players Tour Championship.[10] She officiated her first ranking final, which was the 2016 Riga Masters.[3]

That same year, Bozhilova made her refereeing debut in a Triple Crown event when she officiated a match at the 2016 UK Championship.[11] She has refereed other ranking finals such as in the English Open, German Masters and the Players Championship. Bozhilova made her debut at the main stages of the World Snooker Championship at the 2019 tournament.[3][12] She again was selected to referee at the World Championship for the following year's competition.[13] Her first Triple Crown final was the final of the 2022 Masters.[14]

See also

References
  1. "Признание за българка в Англия" [Recognition for a Bulgarian woman in England] (in Bulgarian). Gong.be. 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  2. Morgan, George (15 February 2019). "Meet one of the referees changing the face of snooker". The Cardiffian. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  3. "Desislava Bozhilova". WST.tv. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  4. Vivek, Vishal (9 July 2016). "Love and work go hand in hand for Bozhilova". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  5. Genov, Valery (23 February 2020). "Българската дама в най-джентълменския спорт (ВИДЕО)" [The Bulgarian lady in the most gentleman's sport (Video)] (in Bulgarian). bTV Novinite. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  6. "Quiet Please!". WST.tv. 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  7. "Дипломанти" [Graduates] (in Bulgarian). University of Forestry, Sofia. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  8. Stoyanova, Victoria (29 June 2018). "Дĸcиcлoвo Бeжилeвo, pĸфĸp пe cнyaъp: Xpиĸx нo шĸгo, чĸ cъм нoй-cĸacи cъдийao" [Desislava Bozhilova, snooker referee: I joked that I am the sexiest judge] (in Bulgarian). bgDNES.bg. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  9. Yaneva, Marina (14 November 2012). "Две съдийки с бели ръкавици" [Two judges in white gloves] (in Bulgarian). Jenite.bg. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  10. "Другата Красавица Сред Съдийките Десислава: Трудно Ми Е Да Осъзная, Че Това Се Случва В България" [The Other Beauty among the Judges, Desislava: It Is Difficult for Me to Realize That This Is Happening in Bulgaria] (in Bulgarian). Sporta.bg. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  11. "Българска съдийка проби на световната снукър сцена" [Bulgarian judge tries on the world snooker scene] (in Bulgarian). Avtora. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  12. Joseph, Martin (3 March 2019). "Woman referee Bozhilova breaking gender barrier in snooker". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  13. "2020 Betfred World Championship Referees". WST.tv. 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  14. Livie, Alex (19 January 2022). "'In snooker we are equal' – Desislava Bozhilova flying high despite Ronnie O'Sullivan showing 'no mercy'". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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