As the tension rises in most sports disciplines, due to the fact that the major winter sports are nearing their final stages where the most important competition, namely the league, will be decided, we will expect that referees will receive their share of criticism and ‘attacks’.
Faced by such occurrences, I have to repeat something I had dealt with in the past in this same column, namely that what we, as referees, permit, we promote! In this case, one cannot permit physical attacks on the refereeing team because we would be laying the red carpet for, I would say definite and possible, future repeats.
I dearly hope that no referee, from any sport, will tend to follow some particular flow and let such things go just because they were maybe always accepted in the past or because someone else also accepts them.
One thing one must always remember that we, as human beings, do get desensitised in our society when we allow things to occur without involving ourselves. Something I would like to point out is that the reasoning “everyone does it and it is just part of the game” is something we must not accept, not only in refereeing but also in our daily life.
As I have already stated many times in the past, sport in general reflects the tendencies of today’s society. Diminished sportsmanship mirrors what is occurring in society at large. Considering the abusive speech and behaviour one often sees at sporting events, I ask the question, “are we the same people at hotly contested games, parties, birthdays, weddings or funerals, which are all emotional settings?” My opinion is that it has a lot to do with all those things that build up our ethical and moral character. Therefore, what we permit to happen in our society (and in sports, during competitive matches) we are actually promoting.
What should we referees do in these circumstances? Basically I believe that we must at least do two things, namely promote a positive image and secondly try our utmost to be role models.
As referees we always have to promote a positive image. Additionally we also have to hold the athletes to a positive image through the enforcement of the rules and through using our best game management skills. This includes seeing and enforcing the rules on taunting and unsporting conduct, even if it is marginal.
When such conduct is clear cut, the referee has nothing else to do except penalize the offender/s. If the conduct is of a marginal nature, then sometimes the referee needs to stop play and deal with it in another way.
Some may say that if any speech or behaviour is sufficient to stop the contest, then it deserves a penalty as written in the particular sport rules (I also at times agree with this belief but this is not always the case).
What I am asking in this column is that referees should start to think also outside that box of rules and look to the greater good the same referee may do for the athlete by briefly addressing the problem. Of course, I am not implying that the referee should be a “good boy” and should always try to forgive offenders, not at all. What I am implying is, that a referee, through acute experience, can learn how to identify certain incidents which could not result in a certain penalty.
Common sense and a very deep understanding of the game are needed for the referee to arrive at such a situation in his career. Additionally the same referee can also encounter certain peers who may criticise him for taking such a stance because these same peers cannot understand the human reasoning behind the referee’s decision.
Apart from this, as I mentioned previously, referees must be a role model for what they are trying to encourage. A referee should never let his words or actions compromise the high standards of sportsmanship. If in his own life, and in his refereeing during games, the referee works to create a positive perception of what is an acceptable and more perfect example for people to be during sporting events, then maybe we can start to reverse the current trend.
Here’s to hoping that we do not witness any sad incidents. We referees can do our share by giving our best during a game and thus act responsibly so that we minimise further the possibility of further future sad incidents.
Letters on basketball refereeing
Unfortunately, in the past fortnight, two letters, dealing with basketball referees, were published on another local English language newspaper.
Without mincing my words, I openly state that I respect anyone who puts his head forward to comment and even criticize (constructively) but I felt I had to comment since I happen to be a basketball referee.
I felt annoyed that there were general comments on the level of refereeing.
If the content of these letters is in fact true to the word, then I urge anybody to come forward with concrete proof. I, for one, do not want to form part of a group where certain elements are not honouring the authority and un-biasness expected from referees.
If no one comes forward, then everything has to be put on the wayside.
After all, my honest belief is that we need an open and clean environment in our beloved game.
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