International volleyball referee Ozan Sarıkaya from Turkey will be the main referee for the quarter-final clash between Bulgaria and the USA at the 21st Men's World Volleyball Championship, which will be played on Thursday, September 25, in the hallSM Mall of Asia Arenain Pasay City, Philippines. The match starts at 3:00 PM Bulgarian time and will determine who will advance to the semi-final phase of the championship.

The Turk, with the greatest trust from FIVB, will decide the fate of the 'Lions'.

Sarıkaya's appointment for this key match is no accident – it is a clear sign of the immense trust the International Federation places in him. The Turkish arbiter has already become one of the most central figures of the championship in the Philippines. This will be his tenth appointment since the start of the tournament, with him serving as main referee in eight of them, and as assistant referee only twice.

This statistic speaks for itself – Sarıkaya is not just regularly included in the refereeing team for the most important matches, but almost always takes the leading role on the court. It is to him that FIVB entrusts matches that decide fates – like this one between Bulgaria and the USA, where every disputed ball can prove decisive.

All of Sarıkaya's matches in Pasay City so far

We all hope that his decisions will be impeccable in the match, which could prove historic for the Bulgarian team – a match in which every point, every net touch, and every saved ball in defense could prove crucial on the path to the medals. The second referee will be the Swiss Vladimir Simonović.

photos:volleyballworld.com