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TWO-THIRDS OF referees leave within two years due to the scale of abuse they receive, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has said.
The Oireachtas sports committee heard “stark” evidence from representatives from Ireland’s largest sporting organisations about the level of abuse that referees often face.
Politicians heard that referees have been physically attacked, intimidated and threatened as part of their work at games across the country.
Gerard Perry, chair of the FAI referee committee, told the committee: “Retention of referees remains an issue and the escalating abuse of match officials does not help in this regard.”
“Anecdotally we lose 66% of new referees within the first two years of them completing the referee beginner’s course. Exit interviews inform us that ‘referee abuse’ is the main reason for them stopping.”
That figure came amid a broader discussion at the committee about the abuse of referees across GAA, rugby and football.
Perry told the committee that refereeing numbers in the organisation fell from 1,400 to 1,200 between 2015 and 2020.
Those figures, he said, have now improved.
“At the start of 2021 we had 1,211 registered referees and that figure has already grown to 1,430 referees today after 581 recruits to the online course.”
Representatives of other sporting organisations and referee groups acknowledged abuse remains a problem, with the prevalence of anonymous commentary on social media partially blamed.
Tom Ryan, director-general of the GAA, pointed to a wider culture that sees the abuse of referees as permissible.
“The real job for us, and it is a difficult one, is about the culture that surrounds the entire game,” he told the committee.
He said the organisation has 3,000 referees and match officials across football and hurling.
“There is a pervading climate among those who watch and report on our games, and more significantly those anonymous commentators on discussion forums and social media, to persistently pass judgment.”
Donal Smyth, the national match officials manager at the GAA, said he knows of “top referees” who have recently endured “awful abuse”.
“When the top referees are getting it, what is happening under-age?”
Dudley Phillips, the head of referees at the IRFU, told the committee: “Unfortunately, abuse of match officials is on the rise, and while rugby has a good reputation for respecting our officials, we are not immune and must continue to take the matter extremely seriously.”
He said abuse is not a regular occurrence at rugby games.
“Sport is one area impacted by what seems to be an increase in abuse in society in general,” he told the committee.
“One only has to look at any of the many social media posts that arise from sport week in, week out to see evidence of this.”
Phillips told the committee that 27 reported cases of abuse have been investigated by the IRFU in the last year, out of 3,500 games at all levels.
Sean Slattery, vice-president of the Irish Soccer Referees Society, spoke about threats of violence against referees.
He said that in 99% of cases, referees are alone at venues.
He told politicians: “The effects of this type of behaviour can be very demoralising for the referee, and when this becomes a regular event, a lot of them decide enough is enough, and they say to themselves that they don’t need this in their lives, and retire from the game.
“Even worse is when assaults occur.
“In Dublin there have been three in the last two months.”
He complained that when cases are reported to gardai, it often takes a significant period of time for any follow-up.
“Maybe the state could help by encouraging a more urgent response from gardai when such assaults, or threats of assault, are reported,” he suggested.
Under-reporting was acknowledged as an issue by all those who appeared before the committee, with all organisations stressing they encourage referees and match officials to make detailed reports of abuse.
Smyth said that at ordinary club games, GAA referees often do not report abuse.
Phillips added: “Referees might say what’s the point. That’s a big worry for me across all sports, if referees have that view.”
Members of the committee were unanimous in their condemnation of abuse and attacks against referees.
Alan Dillon, a Fine Gael TD and former Mayo GAA captain, said: “I have seen first hand the importance sport plays in our lives.”
He said referees “deserve the utmost respect in carrying out their duties”.
Sinn Fein TD Chris Andrews said: “The idea of a 12-month suspension isn’t enough. If someone assaults a referee in a game, there should be a lifetime ban in the sport. It is not acceptable.
“You are not just assaulting a referee, you’re putting everyone off participating in that sport.
“Without real enforcement of sanctions, it’s just going to continue and we’re going to have incidents happening.
“The club has to face a sanction if a referee is abused.”
Perry told the TD there might be legal issues with lifetime bans, but for more complex offences people can be banned for a minimum of three years.
He said there was a recent case where a 40-year ban was handed down.
“There is an opportunity to fine clubs,” he added. “And the association has recently re-formed a welfare group for referees, which is addressing the whole area that you have touched on in relation to punishing clubs more severely.”
Committee chairwoman and Fianna Fail TD Niamh Smyth asked the representatives whether abuse was preventing women becoming referees.
All organisations said they wanted to boost the numbers of female referees and they did not believe abuse was the main deterrent.
Perry said there are around 40-50 female referees in the FAI, out of around 1,500 in total.
He admitted it was “quite low”.
“Female referees are viewed exactly the same way as male referees, except some of the stereotyping around gender, the language often is something stereotypical you would have heard in the past,” he said about the abuse they receive.
“Whether that’s a blockage, I don’t think so. I think it’s to do with the small numbers and us using and finding a way to attract using good role models.”
At some point, our politicians are going to have to accept that we’ve lost the “war” on drugs and try a different approach. Cocaine use is rampant and goes hand in hand with alcohol abuse. It’s so common now that it has been normalised across every level of society. Likewise, Cannabis is so common that it’s as socially acceptable as alcohol, more so in many circles because alcohol is increasingly being seen as the dirty, antisocial, cancer causing drug that it is. We should be legalising cannabis along with a growing list of countries and use the revenue generated to educate and help people struggling with addiction. But instead our government are hounding companies like Little Collins who sell CBD products and hauling elderly patients through the courts for having a few grams of weed to help them with their ailments. A major change of approach is needed.
@Declan Doherty: While i agree that the approach needs to change. It maybe common but that doesn’t make it socially acceptable or normalised for everyone. I don’t want my children seeing people taking drug’s openly in public, in the same way I don’t subject them to drunk people. Unfortunately the public are more resigned than accepting because there is nothing that we can do. The huge under resourcing of the Garda means they won’t respond to calls about open drug taking. Children need the chance to be carefree and hidden for the problems of the adult world.
@Declan Doherty: haven’t heard about CBD selling companies being hounded by government. Haven’t really heard of elderly patients be hauled through the courts either. One swallow doesn’t make a swallow Declan. I don’t want my child exposed to people openly taking drugs etc – things haven’t normalised, not by a long shot.
@Declan Doherty: I’ve seen cannabis ruin the lives of many people more so than alcohol.
@TomTraubert: Just because you haven’t heard about something doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Google Little Collins and you’ll find multiple news sources reporting the raids and the legal action that they’ve been forced to take against the state. Gardai have even gone as far as raiding their customers following a delivery. Likewise there have been numerous court cases reported recently where pensioners have been dragged over the coals for minuscule amounts of cannabis. You may not have read about them but again, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
I have never seen anyone advocate for open drug use or drug use around children so I’m not sure what your point is on that. More progressive countries that have already legalised cannabis have made provision for people to consume it in licensed premises or in their own homes just as we do with alcohol.
And whether you like it or not, whether you agree or not, cocaine and cannabis use has become normalised for vast swathes of society. I haven’t touched it myself for many years, I don’t even drink, but I can see it everywhere around me and “getting a bag” is now as normal as “going for a pint”.
@Cian: Alcohol directly kills 1000 people every year in this country. That’s 3 people every day. In over 10,000 years of use, not one person has ever died from cannabis. Every single one of us has either been affected, or knows someone who’s been affected by alcohol.
Alcohol is a contributory factor in 97% of public order offences, 50% of murders and 76% of rapes. It’s responsible for the majority of violent assaults both in and out of the home and it has destroyed countless lives and families up and down the country.
Alcohol crime costs the state €1.2b every year while alcohol related harm costs €3.2b.
Cannabis isn’t harmless, no drug is, but it doesn’t compare in anyway with the harm caused by alcohol. Not even close.
@Cian: I think you’re lying!
@Cian: “I’ve seen cannabis ruin the lives of many people more so than alcohol.”
You’ve seen more people ruin themselves with cannabis then with alcohol?
In Ireland?
What’s that smell? (it ain’t weed)
Let’s be honest if the locals know who is dealing this stuff so do the Garda, these people are holding huge communitys to ransom, it cant be so difficult to even stop it short term.
@Valentine Kane: Part of the problem is that if Gardai step in to close down one pusher/organisation, another will appear in its place quickly. Sometimes law enforcement prefer to keep tabs on known existing drug sellers, instead of having to try to quickly adapt to new networks.
@Valentine Kane, drug dealers don’t hold any communities to ransom, they don’t trick or force people to buy what they sell. The Beatles, Rolling Stones took cocaine, Kate Moss was photographed taking a\ snort, Nigella Lawson admitted taking it. They’re high-achieving adults, not kids in the Santa Claus queue.
@Tomaldo: That is a candidate for most ludicrous comment I have ever seen posted on this website. What is the business model of drug dealing?
@Tomaldo: sniffing the odd line is very different to being strung out on crack. Coke is a privileged person’s drug and too expensive to develop a habit with. Crack is more addictive and is what this article is referring too. Dealers thrive in areas where disadvantage is rife, happy people do not generally get strung out. Lack of investment, facilities, lack of mental health treatment and access all fuel addiction. Crack has never made anyone more successful and crack is not something you generally can do at the odd party. Once people cross that line to rock, they don’t tend to stop. It is far more expensive than heroin and it’s impact on communities is tremendous.
@Maggie Corrigan: That’s a good comment.
@Tomaldo: you do actually live on Planet Earth dont you?
@Tomaldo: Ok two things there; number one, the people you mentioned do not for one second represent average society, and number two, big difference in snorting coke with a rolled up 100 dollar bill in some millionaires mansion and getting hooked up fpr crack by some low life criminal. Get real!
More investment in community, less investment in jobs for the boys and the banks please. Miracles will then happen, when people have things to do when they wake up in the morning rather than hitting the pipe. If I lived in some of these places that are so underfunded crack would be a solution too.
@Mr Jerry Curtin: No, there has already been millions given to each of the drugs task force areas each year for years with no change. Invest money in proper residential detox facilities and mental health services instead. As for having things to do when they wake up, well they could get a job, they could take part in education/training, they could volunteer. It shouldn’t be the government or taxpayers job to hold your hand throughout your life, you’re an adult make your own decisions and then live with the consequences.
You don’t become a crack addict without first choosing to take it. Same with heroin etc. Therefore addicts should not be entitled to state medical assistance. If they have to pay for one or the other, they won’t last too long.
@Kevin Geraghty: There is no such thing as a “free” choice. We all have different brains, different genes and have had different life experiences.
@Damon16: Yes, we all have different life experiences etc but it is a free choice to take any drug. If addicts are not capable of making a free choice in relation to drugs then they shouldn’t be left raise children, vote, drive etc, it’s another example of “I want my rights but don’t want to take any responsibility for my decisions”.
@Kevin Geraghty: Wow didn’t know Leo Varadkar/Fine Gael made comments in the Journal.
What a backward individualistic mindset you have. Do you have any idea what some of the less privileged communities in Tallaght are like? Maybe you do, maybe you grew up there, but nobody’s experience = your experience. If people are going down such a path, there are obviously reasons for that. Personal, economic, education, societal, etc. For one, we should decriminalise ALL drugs so if you’re found with a joint, you don’t get a criminal record and lose access to employment, welfare, and education and go down a rabbit hole.
@Kevin Geraghty: What about alcoholics, or gambling addicts, or people addicted to prescription medications? Should they receive no state help either? None of us know if addiction is in our future until it happens. When you take your first drink you’re taking that gamble because nobody ever sets out to become an addict. If that crack addict never crossed paths with crack in their lives, they probably would have ended up addicted to something else. If it was a legal substance like booze, would you then be OK with them receiving state help? Would the pain they’re going through be worthy of help then?
@David A Murray, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger took drugs, they both made millions from their music, dated the most beautiful women on the planet, received knighthoods and are still alive in their late seventies
@Tomaldo: Why do you keep mentioning celebrities that have taken drugs? It’s such a weak argument in this context. Paul McCartney wasn’t smoking crack cocaine as a teenager. You’re not making sense.
@Tomaldo: Rich people dabbling in cocaine is NOT the same as being addicted to crack. And what exactly are you saying, that if its good enough for them its ok? what are YOU on?
Will you just click on the arrow in a persons comment to reply to them directly. We’ve no idea who you are responding too. ;-)
@Jason Ebbs: Will you just click on the arrow in a persons comment to reply to them directly. We’ve no idea who you are responding too. ;-)
@ David A Murray, your opinion is even more ludicrous, drug dealers don’t have a special sales technique, they don’t need to, people enjoy using what they sell. Were you in the special class in school or did u ever go?
@Tomaldo: yea, that crack cocaine is very moreish is what all me celeb friends tell me
have your say