Rob Lathouwers was a Dutch field hockey umpire who officiated in his first matches when he was 18. From 1978 to 1994 Lathouwers umpired in more than 150 international matches, including at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the World Cup, and the Champions Trophy. He was one of the umpires appointed to officiate at the 1990 Hockey World Cup in Lahore, but was unable to take part in the final as the Dutch national team played against the hosts. Lathouwers had a strong connection with Pakistan, visiting the country a dozen times during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as being key in bilateral relations with the country and the Netherlands. From 2010 to 2019 the Dar Hockey Academy in Lahore made multiple trips to Europe with Lathouwers organising all the tours, including visas, playing schedules, and accommodation. In return he organised a World XI team to play in Karachi in 2018 with the team including Grant Schubert, Rob Reckers, and Phil Burrows amongst their ranks. Rob’s father Guust and his son Piet were also international hockey umpires.
Netherlands