Far From the Gentleman’s Game – What Can be Done to Protect Our Referees?

By Mark Cooper (Sports Editor)

It would seem like every other sports article from the past four weeks has centred upon the verbal and physical abuse of GAA referees by players, management and supporters. The conclusions which have been reached by journalists and reporters vary wildly. Some have decided that it is time for referees across the country to remove themselves from availability for matches until the issue is addressed at a national level. On the other end of the spectrum some are calling for referees to “Man up” and get on with their job, allowing the abuse to wash like water off a proverbial duck’s back. Of course, some find themselves somewhere in the middle, arguing that a clear set of guidelines should be set out concerning what is acceptable, and from whom? 

Notably however, few of the articles written on the issue across the national media have offered an outlet for referees themselves to have their say. In this week’s article, I decided to speak to good friend and underage referee Cillian Hickey from Killarney. We spoke about the reason he took on the undesirable role of refereeing in the first place, what he has experienced as the ‘man in the middle’ and how he views the current predicament facing the GAA and referees in general. 

I managed to catch up with the Mary Immaculate College student teacher in between a lecture and soccer training with the school’s senior team, a busy man for sure. When pressed on why he decided to join the ranks of Kerry GAA’s refereeing panel, Hickey laughed off accusations of financial motivation. “The money paid out between travel and expenses would really only amount to minimum wage, so I’m definitely not in it for the money!”. In fact, the young student remarked that his motivation largely stemmed from a desire to give back to his club (Dr. Crokes GAA). He also felt that in officiating underage matches, he would have the chance to witness talented players at a young age who he might one day see playing in Croke Park with the Kerry senior football team. Cillian is the club’s only active referee, and as such he is often called upon to officiate games in the local area, from under eight up to under fifteen grades in both men’s and women’s football.

I asked Cillian what aspects of refereeing have surprised him in the three years since he first picked up the whistle. “It’s the level of passion, at every age; Players, management, supporters, no matter the occasion or the prestige of the competition” While it is fantastic to see the dedication everyone involved in our games has, that passion comes with a price. “The level of aggression towards players and myself in the middle would shock you”. When asked where those flash points come from, Hickey referenced examples of players doling out abuse to his manager as well as selectors  “roaring in abuse” at not only opposition players, but members of their own team. When queried as to the age groups at which these instances had occurred, it was revealed that in a U10 junior level match he refereed, he saw his worst example of sideline behaviour. “These lads were no older than nine or ten, and had a member of the opposition management telling them they were dirty thugs''. That sort of episode simply cannot be allowed to continue. Setting aside basic morality, grace and decorum, the unwarranted criticism of our young GAA players will undoubtedly lead to them leaving the sport altogether, losing all the positive benefits of team sports. More concerning still, Hickey referenced a fear that a “chain reaction” would lead to players imitating their parents and management, with acceptance of abuse of officials and other players being passed down from generation to generation.

However, on the point of abuse directed at himself as a referee, our interviewee has surprisingly positive things to say about his experiences. “Ninety five percent of matches go off without a hitch, with little more than shouts of “Ah ref” sent my way”.

 In general, he says, players, supporters and management at underage level simply want both sets of players to “have a sporting game, to enjoy themselves and develop their skills”. 

Of course, when tempers flare or a contentious call arises, there might be a brief roar of discontent from one side or the other, but the young referee does not consider that abuse. “At the end of the day, you’re going out to referee the game, and you have to realise that you will face some level of criticism during the match, it doesn’t come as a surprise.” The line surely must be drawn somewhere between fair criticism and abuse, but what is most pressing for Hickey is those instances of personal, horrid verbal abuse, as well as physical abuse. “We saw what happened in Roscommon, where a referee was hospitalised (Kevin Naughton), we saw down in Kerry a few weeks ago; A game was abandoned after a referee was being verbally abused for a prolonged period by a mentor on one side”. That game in Kerry was notably played out under the ‘Silent Sidelines’ format, where only encouragement can come from management and supporters alike. On the initiative, Hickey offered his praise for the idea, but questioned how it could truly be implemented. Reports have skyrocketed over the past fortnight of instances of referees abandoning games, such as in Wexford, Mayo and Waterford.

The question on everyone’s minds is what we can do as an organisation to put a stop to the abuse of referees, as well as players in club level football and hurling. One possible point which has been raised is to extend ‘Silent Sidelines’ to all age groups, but the issue comes back to enforcement. The only possibility for its successful implementation would be to have a designated officer from each club who is responsible for reporting breaches under the initiative to the County Board, with match bans instated for such violations. This is a solution which is currently being assessed by County administrations across the country.

Likewise, there is much talk about reducing the numbers on backroom teams and management who can stand on the sideline during a match. Some proposals go as far as advising that only one person should be designated to be on the sideline and offer direction to players, and converse with the referee on contentious issues. The rest of the backroom team would be confined to the stands, away from the pitch. This initiative would certainly reduce the scope for the physical abuse of referees, players and opposition mentors, but once again would see difficulty in implementation due to a lack of capacity for referee enforcement. Once again, much responsibility would lie with the club to enforce any code of conduct which might be drawn up.

A final proposal, suggested by Cillian Hickey in the course of our interview, was that of an annual mandatory refresher course on the code of conduct of the GAA, and what is expected of players, managers and parents / guardians. If each player had to be accompanied by a guardian to these meetings each year as well as all coaches within a club, it is argued that they may think twice about casually abusing referees and players in the course of a match.

Ultimately, it is clear that there exists an issue in the GAA in terms of how referees are treated and the lack of respect they experience, especially when compared to the rugby and even soccer referees. The current situation of physical and verbal abuse being not a yearly anomaly but a regular headline is not sustainable, and we will certainly see referees ask themselves if it is worth going out onto the pitch fearing for their physical and mental health. 

To conclude our interview, I asked Hickey if he had any thoughts on the direction the refereeing game is heading. “What we do is a hobby, plain and simple, it’s a pastime, the same as going out and playing a game. The second that hobby turns into a chore; people will stop doing it.” There can be no doubt that when the treatment of referees begins to turn from criticism into physical abuse, that hobby becomes far less enjoyable. Our game needs referees to function, and unless we protect and respect them in carrying out their job, the sport may cease to exist.