Proletina Velichkova Snooker Referee: Career, Biography, and Bulgarian Open Journey

Proletina Velichkova snooker referee is a Bulgarian professional official who has become a regular presence on the European and World Snooker Tour circuits. Emerging from a country with little historical infrastructure for snooker, she represents the growth of the sport across Eastern Europe during the 2010s.

Since making her professional debut at the 2012 Bulgarian Open, Velichkova has officiated high-profile matches involving leading players and has steadily developed her reputation for calm control and technical accuracy.

Alongside her refereeing career, she maintains strong academic and creative interests, reflecting a well-rounded professional profile within modern snooker officiating.

Quick Bio: Proletina Velichkova

Early Life and Introduction to Snooker

Proletina Velichkova developed an interest in snooker more than a decade ago, at a time when the sport had minimal visibility in Bulgaria. Unlike established snooker nations, Bulgaria lacked both a competitive circuit and trained referees, making entry into the sport unusually challenging. Her interest was driven primarily by televised international tournaments, where she became fascinated by the structure, etiquette, and precision of professional snooker.

As snooker began expanding across Europe, opportunities slowly emerged in Eastern European countries. This wider development proved decisive in shaping Velichkova’s ambitions, allowing her to envision a pathway into officiating despite the absence of a domestic tradition.

Entry into Refereeing and Career Beginnings

In 2011, Velichkova learned that the Bulgarian Snooker Referees Association was seeking new officials. She contacted the organisation to express her interest and soon began refereeing matches shortly after completing her initial training. Remarkably, within just two months of starting refereeing, she officiated at an exhibition match featuring Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jack Lisowski, an experience that accelerated her development and confidence.

Her early assignments focused on learning match flow, enforcing rules consistently, and managing professional players, skills that would quickly become essential as her career progressed.

Transition to Professional and Televised Matches

Velichkova made her professional refereeing debut at the 2012 Bulgarian Open, officiating a match between Matthew Stevens and Allan Taylor. This marked her official entry onto the professional tour and established her presence at European Tour events held in Bulgaria.

A year later, she took charge of her first televised match at the 2013 Bulgarian Open, refereeing a contest between Judd Trump and Sanderson Lam. Since then, she has become a regular official at tour events, including matches involving John Higgins during tournaments staged in Sofia.

Education, Interests, and Life Outside Snooker

Away from the table, Velichkova has pursued a strong academic path. She holds a degree in Scandinavian studies and has expressed aspirations to work professionally with Scandinavian languages, particularly Norwegian and Swedish. In addition, she has studied graphic and motion design, reflecting a creative dimension alongside her sporting career.

Her interests include modern and contemporary art, drawing, reading, fitness, and social and sports psychology. These pursuits complement her refereeing by supporting concentration, observational skills, and emotional regulation, all critical traits for elite-level officiating.

Career Ambitions and Professional Outlook

Velichkova has consistently described her snooker ambitions in developmental terms, focusing on continuous improvement rather than fixed milestones. Her stated goal is to refine her skills, gain experience across more tournaments, and continue progressing within the professional refereeing ranks.

As snooker continues to expand geographically, her career stands as an example of how officials from emerging snooker nations can integrate successfully into the international system through training, adaptability, and performance consistency.

Role in Women’s Representation and Diversity in Snooker

Proletina Velichkova’s steady rise on the European professional circuit reflects the broader increase in visibility and acceptance of female snooker referees within a sport that has traditionally been male-dominated. Her appointments at televised European Tour events demonstrate how governing bodies are placing greater trust in officials from diverse backgrounds, particularly from emerging snooker nations such as Bulgaria.

Rather than being defined by novelty, Velichkova’s career progression is based on competence, preparation, and consistency, helping normalise female authority in high-pressure professional environments. Through regular tour involvement and high-profile assignments, she contributes to a gradual cultural shift in snooker officiating, where performance and professionalism take precedence over gender.

Conclusion

Proletina Velichkova’s refereeing journey reflects the broader growth of snooker in Eastern Europe. From entering the sport in a country without an established refereeing tradition to officiating televised matches involving world-class players, her progression has been marked by steady development and professional credibility.

Balancing academic achievement with officiating responsibilities, she represents a modern generation of snooker referees shaped by both education and international opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When did Proletina Velichkova start refereeing snooker?
She began refereeing in 2011 after contacting the Bulgarian Snooker Referees Association.

What was her first professional match?
Her first pro match was at the 2012 Bulgarian Open.

Has Proletina Velichkova refereed televised matches?
Yes, her first televised match was at the 2013 Bulgarian Open.

Which top players has she officiated?
She has refereed matches involving players such as Judd Trump, John Higgins, and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

What does she do outside snooker?
She has academic qualifications in Scandinavian studies and graphic design and enjoys art, reading, and fitness.

More at Biz Tech Magazine