But Guernsey table tennis official Ben Foote can do just that after achieving promotion to gold badge umpire, having excelled in evaluations on some of the sport’s greatest stages.
Foote had long been at the top of the table tennis world as a blue badge umpire but the ITTF’s introduction of a gold level, which was first achieved in early 2022, gave him even greater heights to aspire to.
He has now finally achieved gold badge status and is among 25 in the world on the prestigious list, together with the second umpire from the British Isles to make the grade.
‘It’s great – it’s what I was targeting and aiming for,’ he said.
‘It’s so difficult to get, and you’ve got to travel a lot and go to the right tournaments.’
A blue badge umpire needs at least two years to progress to gold.
The challenges faced for aspiring gold badge umpires include passing the ITTF advanced rules exam and averaging above 85% across multiple performance evaluations at tournaments over a long term.
And, as Foote admits, he will have to continue working hard in order to maintain gold badge status.
‘I should be all right for a couple of months, but I’m going to have to go to other major tournaments.’
Yet, given his gold badge status, he will be in demand for major world competitions and is even targeting an Olympic outing at Los Angeles 2028.
Foote’s latest big-tournament experience came from the centenary World Team Championships in London.
That included plying his trade at the men’s final less than three weeks ago, overseeing China’s 3-0 takedown of Japan in front of thousands of fans at Wembley Arena, an audience dwarfed by the millions watching via streaming or television.
‘It’s always great to do China, because the stadium is so loud,’ Foote added.
‘They seem to have the loudest support. Against England, there were more Chinese fans than English fans.
‘They are really loud and really passionate about table tennis.’
Foote has umpired personally in the world’s greatest table tennis nation and thoroughly enjoys such opportunities, though there are still places he aspires to visit.
‘One thing I love is the ability to travel.
‘I’ve been to every continent aside from South America. It’s not massive over there, but it’s one to tick off the list.
‘I’ve been so many times to Asia. It’s good to see different countries and different cultures.’
