Michiel Zwart | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 November 1986 |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Occupation | Water polo referee |
Michiel Zwart (born 8 November 1986) is a Dutch international water polo referee, who has officiated at major global tournaments including the World Aquatics Championships and the Olympic Games. [1]
Zwart is from Alphen aan den Rijn in The Netherlands. [2] Before becoming a referee, he played water polo for the club AZC in Alphen. [3]
Zwart has been appointed to officiate in several high-level international matches. Presently, he is ranked among Europe’s top water polo referees, holding an A+ category for men under European Aquatics. [4]
He has refereed matches in the World Aquatics Championships, e.g., in Fukuoka 2023, including the men’s final between Hungary and Greece. [5] He has also officiated Champions League matches and major European finals, such as Euro Cup Final 4 and national finals in the Netherlands. [6]
Zwart was selected by World Aquatics to referee at the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in Tokyo in 2021), officiating multiple men’s and women’s matches. [1] He was also appointed for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. [7] Noticeably, in Paris, he refereed the final match of the men’s tournament between Serbia and Croatia. [2]
At the 2025 World Aquatics World Cup Division 1 in Bucharest, and at recent World Championships, Zwart has been frequently appointed as a referee. [4] [8]
Zwart is married, and permanently lives in Alphen aan den Rijn, a province of South Holland, The Netherlands. Outside of officiating, Zwart works in an IT-manager role, and balances his regular professional employment with international refereeing commitments. [3]