Abuse of Referees

flasher0030

Slightly off-topic but referee related;- when are refs going to take action on the happenings during throw-ins. For almost every throw in, we have one guy who will try to take out the main jumper of the opposition. It is so obvious - why do refs let them away with it? The guy will generally ignore the ball, and out his arms around the jumper. If it happened 2 minutes later from a kick out, the ref would definitely blow for a free. And the throw in is right in front of the ref - it's not like the ref cannot see it. It is like as if it has not been enshrined as part of the banter of a thow in.

dxhound2005

Play has not commenced until the throw in, so I don't think he could give a free? If both teams have a player with their arms wrapped around one of the oppositon, probably best to just do the throw in and get on with it. I have often seen a free given from the play which develops very shortly after the throw in. The same sort of holding happens at corners in soccer, but the ref cannot give a penalty or some other decision before the corner is taken as far as I know.

Refs get a lot of stick, and none of them would want to be the first to issue yellow or red cards before the throw in, probably leaving them open to more abuse. I don't even know if the rules allow for cards to be issued before play commences? What action have you got in mind?

"1.3 COMMENCING PLAY (i) The Referee shall toss a coin for choice of ends in the presence of the team captains. This procedure shall be repeated for Extra Time, where played. (ii) Two Players from each team shall stand one behind the other on their own defensive side of the halfway line, and shall face the referee, for the throw in. The other Players, shall be in their respective positions behind the 45m line (Football) or 65m line (Hurling). (iii) The Referee, facing the Players, shall throw in the ball over the heads of the players (Football) and along the ground between the players (Hurling). (iv) Regulations (ii) and (iii) above shall also apply for the start of the second half."

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219908#Comment_120219908

You can sanction players before throw in though. And if 2 players have done it it isnt best to just throw the ball in and get on with it. Thats terrible game management from a referee and sets a poor tone for game about to start. rule 5.25

evolvingtipperary101

Hasn't happened has it?

GAA likely to clamp down on 'endemic' handpass foul (rte.ie)

evolvingtipperary101

Good article here on abuse of refs. One of the main sources of distress for match officials are experiences of abuse from spectators, coaches, and players, something that leads many referees to quit their role entirely. This abuse often results from decisions made by match officials, decisions that may not be considered the 'right decision' by spectators, coaches or players and that can lead to confrontation.

Reducing and eliminating abuse will help to retain more referees and other match officials within our games. It will also help to maintain their mental health and make officiating a more pleasant, rewarding and enjoyable experience, reasons why many are motivated to take up the role in the first place.

Why referees are quitting Gaelic games (rte.ie)

evolvingtipperary101

An umpire was treated for injuries by medics at Sean Moore Park after an alleged assault.

A Minor Hurling League game in Dublin between Naomh Fionnbarra and Clanna Gael Fontenoy was abandoned following an alleged assault on a match official.

An umpire was treated for injuries by medics at the match venue, Sean Moore Park, and Gardaí were called to the scene.

Naomh Fionnbarra had two players red carded.

The referee abandoned the match early in the second half.

Gusser09

GAA need to take a proper stance here.

A policy whereby all assaults / verbal abuse are reported immediately to AGS should be implemented. Let's get serious about this now and stamp out the scourge.

It's no wonder why were are seeing games postponed or cancelled due to the shortage of officials.

Dodge

Reporting verbal abuse to the Garda is a waste of time for all concerned.

Just ban the individuals involved immediately (permanently)

Physical assaults are obviously different

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320249#Comment_120320249

it starts verbally though always and if it's threatening then it should be reported. The only way this will be dealt with is a zero tolerance approach. Normally the players are fine and it feeds on from the sideline.

Perhaps referees from all sports and codes in Ireland should withdraw services for 2 weeks. GAA and soccer referees should 100 percent do this.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320288#Comment_120320288

The amount of time wasted reporting it to the Gardai would be enormous.

Simple solution. Let Referees report any team mentors or supporters that abuse them to the clubs and mention it in the match report. Most refs will know these people anyway.

If Clubs do not act on it County Boards have sanctions in place. You would put a stop to a lot it fairly fast.

I remember being in the sideline one day as a team official. A couple of parents were abusing the referee and we're not helping the team they in around the dugouts. I told them to leave the pitch area and get outside the wire. It came up at a club meeting afterwards but I won out the debate

It's very easy to carry out actions like that. But club need to step up and scantions on offenders.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320438#Comment_120320438

GAA County Board don't want to know about or have to deal with it.

Seth Brundle

At a football match on Saturday, I watched the manager of the opposition team criticise the ref over a few different calls (which may or may not have been in doubt but the ref made the call nonetheless and the players were already moving on). Personally, I thought the refereeing was quite good with a decent amount of advantage used to avoid unnecessary stoppages.

Anyhow, the ref eventually shouted over to the manager that he would be quite happy to head off home if the manager wanted that. A bit of a smart arse comment from the manager and the ref called him over for a one to one conersation. Whatever was said then, the manager didn't shout anything else afterwards.

I'd fully support refs walking off in the middle of a game if they felt it was warranted.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321125#Comment_120321125

It is endemic with some clubs and their sidelines to try and intimidate and bully referees for their own gain. Some referees will fold under this type of pressure whereas the better ones will deal with it like you have said. The only way to deal with managers and sidelines like that is to stand up to them and let them know that without a referee there won't be a game. It has to be said it's only in certain few clubs. It's where managers are brought in and are getting paid decent money where it appears to be really bad. They have to deflect from their own managerial shortcomings and blame it on someone else.

We have a huge shortage of referees and the ironic thing is it doesn't matter how good or bad a ref might be they still get abused. I will also add it doesn't matter how poor a ref is. There is never anything that justifies intimidation.

You and that referee are correct. If that behavior continues after a warning get in the car and head home.

evolvingtipperary101

A fuller report on the incident here:

Clubs await referee's report following alleged assault (rte.ie)

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321324#Comment_120321324

You'd wonder what they are disputing. A guy ended up getting head injuries at a minor hurling league match. Why didn't they just come straight out and condemn the incident.

Again a huge part of the issue in the GAA. Wagons are circling obviously.

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321339#Comment_120321339

Not sure anything is being circled, but have seen elsewhere that there was an assault on a player by an umpire (presumably prior to the incident)

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320983#Comment_120320983

But it a matter for County Boards to discipline clubs over it. If Clubs were fined because they did not control sidelined it would stop it fairly fast.

evolvingtipperary101

Seán Kelly calls for life bans to tackle abuse against match officials

Seán Kelly calls for life bans to stamp out abuse (rte.ie)

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321956#Comment_120321956

It is probable (almost certain) that the umpire was from one of the clubs, this was minor division 4 i understand

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120322092#Comment_120322092

Ya. Very funny one about 5-6 years back. My youngest was breaking into the first team for the club. During a league match they were looking for a umpire one evening. My eldest went down to do it the youngest was wing back. The FB whose place was under pressure called an obvious point wide but the eldest lad call it as it was. It was 5-6 minutes from the end of the match and the FB and Goalie were abusing my eldest and after the game was over ( club had lost by a point) the FB started at it again. He did not know the connection as he worked away and was not involved in the underage structure.

He pushed my eldest lad who pushed back ( 6'4'' very broad build) and sat him on his hole). The youngest lad arrived and the goalie pushed him ( he was only 17 but (nearly as big as the eldest) and he pushed the goalie onto the ground. The FB got up all firey and the youngest lad sat him back on his hole again.

Two or three players that were aware of the connection arrived to intervene.

I had often umpired at matches and had alwaye warned my lads to call it as it was. One issues with umpires from clubs is you can get an idiot who will not call it right. But again that is for team managements to make sure to call it as it is. You might give the benefit in a very marginal call but I have seen some bad calls.

I have even seen an couple cases where a ref over ruled an umpire for called a score against his own club and the ref not knowing he was giving it against his own club

Past30Now

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321954#Comment_120321954

Finbarrs have issued a statement to that effect. Blame being directed at an "acting Umpire" for "manhandling" an underage player from Barrs. Referee red-carded both the umpire and the Barrs player who was manhandled, as well as another Barrs player involved in the initial incident. A subsequent "Fracas" behind the goal between two adult men resulted in the game being abandoned by the ref. Neither man has ever been a member of Naomh Fionnbarra.

evolvingtipperary101

I'm not saying it is, but it could be a technicality. There's always a few heads who live at the club but never pay membership.

I wonder what was the initial incident that abandoned the game before all hell broke loose

https://twitter.com/PremierviewPod/status/1633164332665040902?s=20

The Sporting Limerick podcast yesterday interviewed two referee's in the county. They quoted some stats;

In 2012 there were 106 referee's in county Limerick covering 890 county board games.

In 2022 there are were only 53 referee's in the county covering 1100 county board games (+ an additional 2300 Bord na Nóg games, no figure quoted for 2012)

evolvingtipperary101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120340979#Comment_120340979

Yeah, it's a full-blown crisis with figures like that. Of course, GAA have only paid lip service to addressing the lack of respect for refs so far.

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120340979#Comment_120340979

The GAA: "We've tried nothing, and we're all out of ideas!"

evolvingtipperary101

Fergal doesn't hold back here... https://soundcloud.com/tippmidwestradio/fergal-horgan-interview-following-his-decision-to-step-down?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

At least, he's honest. That Fergal got no response after telling them he is retiring is some slap in the face. Just shows you how the top brass feel about refs. They don't give a bollicks. That he can't promote reffing to anyone is very sad and real indictment of how the GAA are treating refs.

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120466945#Comment_120466945

One of the best imo ... ( even if he is a tipp man 😋 )

as we have said in this thread, GAA dont care about the refs ...

(altho match fees have gone up to €50 now in kk for adult games in hurling - Camogie will have to follow)

jimmythesulk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468005#Comment_120468005

The standard of reffing in Kilkenny is particularly bad. Do refs have a duty to be fit and try to keep up with play. We have one ref in South Kilkenny who is very overweight and never leaves the middle of the field. Surely if you are getting paid for it you should be able to do the job properly.

flatty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468287#Comment_120468287

May well be him or nobody though.

rpurfield

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468287#Comment_120468287

In service every year which reviews rules, new rules and ends with a test. If you don't do it you can't referee. Also a lot of counties will do fitness tests but like Flatty said if numbers are low it could be this chap or nobody.