Jasmina Tatic and Marco Juras are two of nearly 30 referees officiating the EuroBasket Women 2009 in Latvia. 

What makes these two Serbians stand out from the pack though is that come next August they will not only be running the hardwood together, they will also be taking their wedding vows in Juras's hometown of Belgrade.

The fiancés took a moment to talk about the good and the bad of sharing the referee's uniform with your partner.

For Jasmina and Marco, Basketball is a thread that runs through their life.

FIBA EUROPE: Did the two of you meet on the court?

JURAS:  I like to say FIBA Europe is guilty because we prepared for the 2005 officiating clinic in Turkey together.  We spent a lot of time there and bonded during that period, and that's when our relationship began.

FIBA EUROPE:  This is your first big FIBA Europe tournament right, Marco?

JURAS:  Yes. It is a good experience, the level is much higher than the youth tournaments I have done. This is her [Tatic's] fourth tournament at this level so she is now much more experienced in this kind of environment, and she helps me a lot.

TATIC:  Yes, but he is also helping me out, especially in the Serbian men's league.

FIBA EUROPE:  Can you give an example of how she has helped you here?

JURAS:  She is now on her second EuroBasket Women and she also worked the Olympic Games, so she shared her thoughts on her experiences with me before the tournament.  She helped me to prepare for all kinds of situations here, because on the court is one thing but off the court it is very important also to prepare from the start to the finish, to always be professional.  During 16, 17 days, you must wake up every day and realise this is your job and be concentrated morning until evening, it doesn't matter if you are officiating or not that day.

FIBA EUROPE:  Have you ever officiated a game together?

JURAS:  Yes, in the Serbian national men's league we have worked a number of games together, less than ten total games.

FIBA EUROPE:  Have you ever argued a call in a game?

JURAS:  [laughing] Argue, no, not argue, because she is a little bit stubborn [she laughs, he smiles and looks away] ,but that is good in our business.  But I always say it is better that someone else tells her about her possible mistakes other than me because she takes it too personally.  On the job we put aside our relationship and try to be professionals on the court.

TATIC:  Because if someone doesn't know we are a couple, we don't want to show it on the court.  We act like professionals from the moment we come to the game all the way through to the end.  But personally it is totally different working with him or working with other referees.  I can say it is true.  Emotionally it is stronger because I know him very well, we know each other [he laughs]. Yes, [turning to him] I watch you and I immediately know what you are thinking in that moment or what you will do. That is not the same with other referees and maybe for me this is a little difficult, but it is okay.

JURAS:  It is tough for her in the men's games because she is a woman in what is mostly a men's job.  During the men's games it is tough for me to adjust to accepting all the situations because players and coaches are very emotional during the game, whether it is a tied game or a 30-point difference, it doesn't matter.  And for me it was tough to adjust to a professional level and separate my personal feelings and my obligations on the court, because lots of times you have coaches complaining to her, so I have to put aside my emotions.  At the beginning it was really tough.

TATIC:  Yes, it was really tough. He did it, but it wasn't easy for him.  He had to put more energy into those games.

FIBA EUROPE:  Do you agree that during men's games you receive more pressure being a woman?

TATIC:  I have more pressure in a way yes. I have to do double to show that I am on the same level as everyone else because I am a woman.  That's why it is harder- maybe I make the same decision as a man but they don't trust me because I am a woman.  In the women's games it is totally different.

JURAS:  But now after her third year in the Serbian national men's league she has very good authority, and I think the clubs respect her more than other men officials because she has proven herself to be an excellent referee even in the men's league, which is not a very common thing in Serbia, or in Europe over all.

TATIC:  But as far as men's leagues, I always say that [for women referees] in men's competitions the first season is very difficult because nobody knows you, nobody knows you even exist, but after that, the next season they know you and they accept that and it is totally different.  They see you as the official on the court and at that moment you start to be a referee, not a woman referee.  So now it is easier for me in my national league.

FIBA EUROPE:  Once you are off the court- you are both referees, so your job is to be correct and transmit the authority that you are right and that you have the final word...

JUARS:  So in the house it is very difficult, yeah, I know what you want to ask [laughing].

TATIC:  [laughing] Who's right, no?

JURAS:  Just like on the court you need to know your place [both laughing].

TATIC:  No, no. Compromise is very important.  It is normal that a woman and man have different opinions about some things, but we always try to have compromises because if you don't do that it isn't easy to live together.  Also as referees we travel a lot so sometimes we don't see each other for a long time, but that is good because if you haven't seen someone for two or three days you don't have any big fights.

JURAS:  Yes, sometimes it is good [both laughing].

FIBA EUROPE:  Do you talk about calls after the game?

TATIC:  A lot, a lot more than with other referees because we have more time....

JURAS:  Unfortunately [both laughing]. 

TATIC:  We speak in the dressing room together. Then we go home and after the emotions have gone down we speak again.  Sometimes this is good because maybe you don't accept something in the first moment but then later, after thinking about it, you realise that it is true.

JURAS:  As I said, she is emotional so I have realised over the years that after the game I should only give her my short opinion...

TATIC:  And not attack me immediately...

JURAS:   [laughing]  ...and then maybe the day after, when she has calmed down, to talk about the game more seriously.

TATIC:  Or even better, wait until I ask him to tell me what he thinks about this or that play [laughing].