05-05-2025
World snooker final referee Desislava Bozhilova's close relationship with fellow ref and salary
World snooker final referee Desislava Bozhilova's close relationship with fellow ref and salary
Desislava Bozhilova is the referee in charge of this year's World Snooker Championship final between Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong
Desislava Bozhilova, right, and Proletina Velichkova, left
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While the achievements of 50-year-old Mark Williams and 28-year-old sensation Zhao Xintong in reaching the World Snooker Championship final have understandably taken the headlines, the role of the woman officiating today's Crucible battle should not be overlooked.
Desislava Bozhilova is refereeing her first World Snooker Championship final at just 32, completing her own Triple Crown after previously taking charge of the Masters and UK Championship finals in 2022. Her first major final was only in 2016 when she was in charge at the Riga Masters in Latvia.
Bozhilova has become something of a celebrity herself in the snooker world, earning a strong reputation for her refereeing skills, while also sharing other aspects of her life with fans on social media.
She passed her international refereeing exams in 2012 and was previously a talented snooker and pool player herself.
The Bulgarian has interests and talents far outside the game, holding a master's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Forestry in Sofia.
She is also a passionate baker who regularly showcases her creations on social media.
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How much does snooker referee Desislava Bozhilova get paid?
Most World Snooker professional referees reportedly earn a base salary of £20,750 every season, with a higher base rate and further bonuses available for the top officials who referee deep into major tournaments.
The large majority of snooker referees do not receive a base salary, though, and the instead get paid per day - rather than per game. This can be up to £500 for a session.
Many referees are part-time and combine their snooker work with other jobs and interests.
Travel, accommodation, and meal expenses are covered, easing the financial burden on referees during long competitions.
Desislava Bozhilova's close relationship with fellow referee
Bozhilova regularly shares personal updates with her nearly 40,000 Instagram followers and has a close relationship with fellow female snooker referee Proletina Velichkova.
The pair post regular pictures together, including annual Valentine's Day selfies.
Velichkova, also Bulgarian, officiated her first match on the WST on home soil at the 2012 Bulgarian Open, just 18 months after spotting an advert in a newspaper for Bulgarian snooker referees.
She is now a regular at major ranking events and hopes to reach the heights of Bozhilova , taking charge of numerous matches in the Home Nations Series over the past couple of years.
The pair are very supportive of each other's achievements, with Velichlova posting a picture with Bozhilova's family and friends ahead of this year's final.
Ronnie O'Sullivan clash
During a tense quarter-final match between The Rocket and Stuart Bingham last year, O'Sullivan expressed dissatisfaction with how Bozhilova had respotted the black ball before declining a red during the 12th frame, reports the Mirror.
As the match approached its nail-biting conclusion, tied at 10 frames each, the audience began to filter back into the arena while another game featuring Kyren Wilson and John Higgins was about to resume following an interval.
Ronnie O'Sullivan and referee Desislava Bozhilova had a frosty exchange at the 2024 World Championship
(Image: Getty Images )
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With the crowd noise rising, O'Sullivan returned to his seat, preparing for a pivotal shot at a red. It was then that Bozhilova addressed the spectators, requesting: "Would you take your seats quickly, and then hold the door closed for a minute."
As The Rocket hesitated to approach the table amid crowd noise, referee Bozhilova attempted to nudge him by saying: "But we might wait 20 minutes." To which O'Sullivan retorted humorously with: "It's not 20 minutes. Just chill, chill."
"I'm chilled," replied the referee tersely. This chilly exchange didn't quite boost O'Sullivan during the match, although he did pot a red in the top-right corner. However, he ultimately succumbed to a 13-10 defeat against his adversary Bingham, shattering his dreams of securing an eighth title at the Crucible.
