The 2022 World Championships Porcelain Whistle was given to Maria Stella Rosario ©FIAS

Indonesian official Maria Stella Rosario has been named the best referee at the 2022 World Sambo Championships in Bishkek, meaning she is this year's recipient of the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) Porcelain Whistle.

This was decided by the Technical Commission of the FIAS.

"We want refereeing to be a separate phenomenon within the large sambo society, which would meet all the needs of the modern sports society and all the requirements of international sports organisations," said FIAS sports director Dmitry Maksimov.

"In this regard, the Technical Commission headed by FIAS executive director Sergey Tabakov decided to establish an annual award for referees and hold awards at the World Championships."

Rosario was not able to attend the ceremony in person in Kyrgyzstan, so chief referee for the World Championships, Islom Adylov, accepted it on her behalf.

The FIAS Porcelain Whistle is given to the best referee at a competition ©FIAS
The FIAS Porcelain Whistle is given to the best referee at a competition ©FIAS

"The Porcelain Whistle was created according to an exclusive layout and is made strictly to order and under the control of the International Sambo Federation," added Maksimov. 

"The award also includes a cash prize. 

"It seems to us that such recognition of merits and assessment of the work of a specialist is an additional incentive for the development and self-improvement of referees."

Kyrgyzstan's Alexander Larionov became the first recipient of the award after last year's World Championships in Tashkent; while Spaniard Carlos Gomez was given a special version of it "for conscientious and long-term refereeing and for contribution to the development of sambo in the world".