Barrett appointed as chairperson of National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA)

Paul Barrett has been appointed as independent chairperson of the National Basketball Referees Association (NBRA), taking over from Jim Dudley who has stepped down after three years in the role.

Barrett has an extensive background in basketball administration, he was chairperson of Neptune Basketball Club from 2012 to 2020. He also served as chairperson of the Organisation of National League Clubs (ONLC) and the Men’s National League Committee (MNCC), before formation of the National League Committee (NLC) in 2023. Barrett served as inaugural chairperson of the NLC and was a National League Commissioner, before stepping down from both roles in 2024.

Speaking about his new position as independent chairperson of NBRA, Barrett said: “It’s an honour to be appointed as independent chair of our National Basketball Referees Association. I’d like to praise the work done by Jim Dudley since the formation of the NBRA in 2022. I look forward to working with my fellow committee members on NBRA, the Local Area Boards and Basketball Ireland to help deliver what is set out in Basketball Ireland’s Strategic Plan. We shall keep striving to increase the number of referees. in tandem with promoting referee development for those already involved in the game.”

Paul Dempsey, Basketball Ireland’s Training and Performance Manager added: “We are thrilled to welcome Paul Barrett to the NBRA team as the independent chairperson. Paul brings a wealth of experience and leadership, and we look forward to collaborating with him in this next chapter. At the same time, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Jim Dudley for his exceptional service and contributions to the role over the last three years."