The World Baseball Softball Confederation Europe (“WBSC Europe”) appointed Luis Ignacio Pardo Lozano, known as Nacho Pardo, Director of Softball Umpires.

Pardo Lozano umpired for 26 years before retiring in 2019. He started umpiring in 1993 in Spain to then became a certified ESF Umpire in 2001 in Vienna, Austria, and a certified WBSC Umpire in 2010 in Haarlem, Netherlands. 
As an umpire, Pardo Lozano took part in the 2015 Canada Cup International Softball Championship, in the 2016 WBSC Women's Softball World Cup in Surrey, Canada, as well as over 25 European Competitions.

Immediately after retiring from the active umpire career in 2019, Luis Ignacio Pardo Lozano became an Umpire in Chief for Softball Europe tournaments.

"I would like to thank WBSC Europe Vice President Softball Gabriel Waage for the trust he gave me in appointing me WBSC Europe Softball Director of Umpires. I did not expect such honor, and I will fulfill the tasks with enthusiasm and responsibility, which I believe has been the hallmarks during my career," commented Pardo Lozano. 

WBSC Europe Vice President Softball Gabriel Waage congratulated Pardo Lozano: "Nacho is a great person, and he is very respected in the European umpiring community. He will need to improve the communication inside the umpiring community that suffered significantly due to the pandemic. For this same reason, the Softball Europe Blue Convention was organised in February, but we had to cancel it due to the covid situation."


Vice President Waage also thanked Pardo Lozano's predecessor in the position of Softball Europe Director of Umpires Raoul Machalet: "I want to thank Raoul for covering this cardinal role during this incredibly unstable period. I do hope Raoul will accept to continue to work in the development of umpires. He carried out an excellent work so far.".

Pardo Lozano also stated: "I would like to say a few words to my predecessor, Mr. Raoul Machalet, who has drawn a line of work that I consider very successful and which I hope to be able to continue, adding my personal touch and developing my ideas. It is my wish that he continues to be connected to the working group because I consider him a fundamental person for the future and the development of softball umpiring in Europe.".  

The newly appointed Director of Softball Umpires Luis Ignacio Pardo Lozano will start his work with the European softball Umpire-in-Chiefs at the Officials Biennial, scheduled in Prague, from March 25 to 27, 2022.