Eugenio Martínez

After a brief career in the pool Eugenio Martínez had a lengthy career as a water polo referee and official. In 1966 Martínez won gold with the Cuban team at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan. Six years later he officiated his first at his first of six Olympics, refereeing matches at the München Games, starting with the encounter between the Netherlands and West Germany. He then oversaw matches at five more Olympics, only missing the Games in Seoul in 1988. Martínez also attended multiple editions of other high-profile tournaments, including 10 editions of the Pan American Games and seven Universiades, as well as every FINA World Championship from 1973 until 1994.

In 1995 Martínez was awarded with the FINA Silver Pin for his services to the sport. He had a long association with FINA, serving as a technical committee member on four occasions from 2000 to 2019, in addition to being a FINA bureau member from 2013 to 2017. His older brother Guillermo played water polo for the Cuban national team in the 1960s and 1970s.