GAA referee campaign

[seafoid]

https://twitter.com/RTEgaa/status/1580623309540306945

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/1020/1330310-the-case-for-putting-microphones-on-gaa-referees/

Who would benefit from referees giving post-match interviews? Would it be an opportunity for fans to better understand the decisions made on the pitch? Could it offset some of the anger that builds in the wake of supposedly controversial decisions?

Referees rarely, if ever, give post-match interviews. But perhaps if they did, would we the fans, the players, the mentors - and the referees themselves - receive any benefit? Perhaps.

After a recent trial in August conducted by TG4, in which they mic'd up referee John O'Halloran for the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship final, there were several people who were enthused by the idea.

As the action unfolded, viewers were able to understand exactly why the referee made a certain decision.

This is not a new phenomenon; it has been the case for several years in sports such as American football and rugby union - a sport others look to as the standard bearer for respecting match officials.


Referee John O'Halloran who was mic'd up
"At the moment, there probably isn't that protocol in place where I can come out and explain a decision," said Cork referee Colm Lyons.

"It's all about communication. I think we can all do a bit better in terms of explaining decisions. I think most of the decisions stand for themselves. We'd be the first as referees to put our hands up and say, 'look, we got it wrong'.

"Does everybody as a player, manager, coach, selector say 'we got it wrong'? Some will, some won't. I think referees, we're very open to improving."

Earlier this year, RTÉ Head of Sport Declan McBennett hinted at the idea of mic-ing up referees after a brawl between Tyrone and Armagh players in the Allianz National League.

McBennett wished for "the ability for referees to articulate their decisions".

"That match between Armagh and Tyrone, most people didn't know why there was five players sent off. They didn't know why there was four from Tyrone and one from Armagh got sent off," said McBennett.

Or perhaps would the general public berate officials all the more if they are privy to the on-field decision making process?

"We want to come off that field and say, 'do you know what? There wasn't an incident there now that is going to cause us contention tonight'," said referee Lyons.

"Or if you're sitting down [after a game], 'will we watch The Sunday Game? Will we avoid The Sunday Game?'"

Tyrone referee Sean Hurson got the big one this year. He was the man in the middle for the All-Ireland SFC final between Kerry and Galway.

Hurson is an experienced official, with vast amounts of experience refereeing in the often intense Ulster Football Championship.

He made reference to pressure put on inexperienced referees by both players and management.

"I think when you're starting out refereeing, everybody's trying to find a weakness and they're trying to gain a benefit to their team so coaches and players are focusing on what they can get away with," said Hurson.

"The culture is there: how can we get better at beating the opposition? Sometimes they reflect on weaknesses or perceived weaknesses of the referee and unfortunately that's what's happening with our coaches.

[Tyrdub]

https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/325459

Top referee Sean Hurson reckons many people find it easy to dehumanise match officials.

Hurson, who refereed this year's All-Ireland SFC final, was speaking at the launch of the national Respect the Referee Day which takes place this weekend which comes after incidents of alleged assaults in recent weeks.

"I think it's a case of trying to establish what the role of the referee is within the association but also at grass roots level so we can turn around and be a valued member and contribute to what is a fantastic sport but also that we are part of it and we are volunteers," the Tyrone man is quoted saying by GAA.ie.

"We're human and we have families. People forget that and see the man in the black jersey as someone who has nothing to do with the association. So it's about 'we all belong' and that's what our perspective is. We want everyone to reset and evaluate what the role of the referee is within the association.

"This last number of weeks or months there has been a high number of incidents and while the committee has been doing work in the background, it has become of national interest that this is not good enough and now is the time to change it and for some supporters to re-focus on how they conduct themselves at games and coaches as well.

"I think today's initiative actually allows people to say, 'maybe I need to change the way I do things'. Maybe instead of being part of an association where we all belong, we are actually alienating elements within the association. At the moment referees are the focus and it gets forgotten that referees are all club people.

"I'm heavily involved with my own club. I'm on the committee and a coach. We all are volunteers because we enjoy it and we love it."

[seafoid]

Larry McCarthy aims 'for culture change' in the GAA
Updated / Friday, 14 Oct 2022 10:11
By David Wilson
RTÉ Sport reporter
GAA president Larry McCarthy is aiming to change the culture of the organisation after a series of incidents in which referees have been physically abused blighted the association.
High-profile incidents of alleged assault in Roscommon and Wexford have put refereeing safety at the forefront of people's minds.
On Thursday, the GAA launched their latest Respect the Ref campaign, which is geared towards increasing support systems and promoting respect for match officials.
"What has happened in the last couple of weeks is absolutely and utterly unacceptable," said McCarthy.
"The respect for referees and working with referees and recruiting of referees has been part of the strategic plan since we launched it last week and this will give it an impetus to start."
The GAA will hold a national Respect the Referee Day across the weekend of 22-23 October in an attempt to reinforce the message that the abuse of match officials will not be tolerated.
However, the abuse of match officials is not just a GAA problem, it is a societal issue. Trying to implement a cultural change in attitudes towards referees will take time.
"It is extremely difficult and it's a long, slow process of changing culture. It's not going to be instantaneous.
"Supporting the referee, disciplinary processes, putting out the messages we're going to be putting out next week are all part and parcel of it.
"But this is only a once-off. This is the start. We have to keep going and do it."

GAA president McCarthy flanked by referees Colm Lyons (far left), David Coldrick, Thomas Gleeson and Sean Hurson
The inter-county scene this summer featured numerous instances of players being disciplined on the field of play by the referee before those decisions were eventually overturned by the Central Competitions Control Committee.
Clare's Rory Hayes and Peter Duggan and Galway's Cianan Fahy were all cleared to play in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals after having their suspensions lifted on appeal.
"I think the procedures could be strengthened, could be tightened up a little bit," said McCarthy.
"We should look at some of the rules as well, particularly when they are applied at a local level. To a certain extent they are well applied at a national level, but when it gets to a local level the systems are different."
When the referees submit their reports post-match, they are not involved further in the disciplinary process.
"Disciplinary committees are very important, that the right punishment is handed down and then it is held, it stands up," said McCarthy.
"We need at one level to help referees to write reports which will stand up to scrutiny, but there is a whole clutter of things that we need to do in terms of supporting referees.
"We do have to strengthen up our processes and procedures to make sure that they feel supported."
"David Coldrick said this to me yesterday: 'Once I do my job and I report it I then have to leave it go to a certain extent and hand it over to the disciplinary process'.
"That's our responsibility then to make sure that's strong enough to support the referee, but the referee's report must be written well to be able to support that as well.
"There are incidents, not a lot, but some people get off on minute technicalities which drive all of us crazy.
"We need to adopt the John Mullane mantra: 'Do the crime, do the time.'"

Referee David Coldrick
With the recent high-profile incidents that have happened in Roscommon and Wexford, there were calls from some quarters to involve possible criminal investigation.
Asked on whether the Gardai should be involved in such instances, McCarthy responded:
"You'd have to ask the law that.
"When does a tackle or something on a pitch become an assault in the eyes of the law? I don't know."
During the brawl in the All-Ireland senior football quarter-final between Armagh and Galway, members of An Garda Síochána were pictured watching on as the incident occurred underneath the Cusack stand as the players were heading back for the dressing room.
In the days that followed the brawl, Charlie Flanagan, the former Minister for Justice called for a Garda investigation into what he called a "violent confrontation".
But McCarthy is not sure of where the GAA's jurisdiction ends and it becomes a legal matter.
"When it's outside the rules, when does the law come onto the field? I don't know when the law should come onto the field.
"That's something you would have to ask the legal authorities," said McCarthy.
"We don't have any protocols for bringing the law into it. The law has to take its own course in terms of something happening."

Armagha dn Galway players were involved in a serious melee at Croke Park
The recruitment of new referees has increased post-Covid by over 100.
However, the problem lies in retaining them as many chose to give up the whistle after two or three years.
These issues affect the grassroots game more than it affects inter-county. McCarthy has looked on other sports for inspiration.
"Basketball have a very good way of doing things," said McCarthy.
"So if the coach says something to a referee, all of a sudden the coach gets penalised, the team get penalised with free throws against them and they get loose possession [contested] of the ball.
"Is there something in there that we could do so that if you start verbally abusing a referee, he stops and gives you a warning?
"The next time it might be a 21-yard free or a penalty.
"Not only are you going to get a card for doing what you did, but the team is going to be punished as well.
"That's something we might look at in terms of implementing a rule and changing the overall culture."
Incremental change is slow and is something that the association recognises.
"The strategic plan is a five-year document," said McCarthy.
"If we see an improvement over the course of those five years, it will be work well done."

[befair]

Refs need stronger on-field sanctions for dissent; moving the ball up 10 yds is often irrelevant. Move it up 50 yds and there might be a change of tune.

[pbat]

Might not be the popular opinion but why don't the GAA show some respect to the public in terms of refereeing. Barry Cassidy made a hash out of Mayo - Monaghan, cost Banty his job, obvious and well analysed on the Sunday game about his performance.
Now im no lover of Monaghan but Barry was rewarded with a line on All Ireland Final day. So respect has to happen both ways. 

[LeoMc]

Might not be the popular opinion but why don't the GAA show some respect to the public in terms of refereeing. Barry Cassidy made a hash out of Mayo - Monaghan, cost Banty his job, obvious and well analysed on the Sunday game about his performance.
Now im no lover of Monaghan but Barry was rewarded with a line on All Ireland Final day. So respect has to happen both ways.

Maybe players who have a bad game or make a mistake should never be allowed to play again!

[thewobbler]

Personally I'm sick of the line "respect has to happen both ways".

It's hundreds of people against one at club games and thousands of people against one in county games.

My simple 3 step plan for tidying up the game:

1. Remove the black card from the game with one exception: verbal abuse to referees.

2. Croke park sends down an edict that referees must wave black cards for verbal abuse, regardless of the occasion, regardless of the stage of the match. When doing their reports they describe the abuse. And if they don't hand out black cards they can't report abuse.

3. Croke park sends an edict to the media that any pundits, writers or commentators who describe black cards for verbal abuse as "unfair" or worse, will be looked at unfavourably, and if there's a pattern of doing this, the broadcaster/publication will lose access to to GAA coverage. This ultimately is the key to respect. If every pundit in the land accepts that verbal abuse deserves a black card, soon too will everyone else.

[Milltown Row2]

Might not be the popular opinion but why don't the GAA show some respect to the public in terms of refereeing. Barry Cassidy made a hash out of Mayo - Monaghan, cost Banty his job, obvious and well analysed on the Sunday game about his performance.
Now im no lover of Monaghan but Barry was rewarded with a line on All Ireland Final day. So respect has to happen both ways.

Job? Are saying he was employed to do a volunteer job? He lost because his players were not good enough

[Gael85]

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41111635.html

[armaghniac]

Personally I'm sick of the line "respect has to happen both ways".

It's hundreds of people against one at club games and thousands of people against one in county games.

My simple 3 step plan for tidying up the game:

1. Remove the black card from the game with one exception: verbal abuse to referees.

2. Croke park sends down an edict that referees must wave black cards for verbal abuse, regardless of the occasion, regardless of the stage of the match. When doing their reports they describe the abuse. And if they don't hand out black cards they can't report abuse.

3. Croke park sends an edict to the media that any pundits, writers or commentators who describe black cards for verbal abuse as "unfair" or worse, will be looked at unfavourably, and if there's a pattern of doing this, the broadcaster/publication will lose access to to GAA coverage. This ultimately is the key to respect. If every pundit in the land accepts that verbal abuse deserves a black card, soon too will everyone else.

Give them a microphone and if 3 occurs, publish the recording.

[Eamonnca1]

Personally I'm sick of the line "respect has to happen both ways".

It's hundreds of people against one at club games and thousands of people against one in county games.

My simple 3 step plan for tidying up the game:

1. Remove the black card from the game with one exception: verbal abuse to referees.

2. Croke park sends down an edict that referees must wave black cards for verbal abuse, regardless of the occasion, regardless of the stage of the match. When doing their reports they describe the abuse. And if they don't hand out black cards they can't report abuse.

3. Croke park sends an edict to the media that any pundits, writers or commentators who describe black cards for verbal abuse as "unfair" or worse, will be looked at unfavourably, and if there's a pattern of doing this, the broadcaster/publication will lose access to to GAA coverage. This ultimately is the key to respect. If every pundit in the land accepts that verbal abuse deserves a black card, soon too will everyone else.

Couldn't see that being included in any broadcasting rights deal.

[Eamonnca1]

https://twitter.com/RTEgaa/status/1580623309540306945

https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/1020/1330310-the-case-for-putting-microphones-on-gaa-referees/

Who would benefit from referees giving post-match interviews? Would it be an opportunity for fans to better understand the decisions made on the pitch? Could it offset some of the anger that builds in the wake of supposedly controversial decisions?

Referees rarely, if ever, give post-match interviews. But perhaps if they did, would we the fans, the players, the mentors - and the referees themselves - receive any benefit? Perhaps.

After a recent trial in August conducted by TG4, in which they mic'd up referee John O'Halloran for the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship final, there were several people who were enthused by the idea.

As the action unfolded, viewers were able to understand exactly why the referee made a certain decision.

This is not a new phenomenon; it has been the case for several years in sports such as American football and rugby union - a sport others look to as the standard bearer for respecting match officials.


Referee John O'Halloran who was mic'd up
"At the moment, there probably isn't that protocol in place where I can come out and explain a decision," said Cork referee Colm Lyons.

"It's all about communication. I think we can all do a bit better in terms of explaining decisions. I think most of the decisions stand for themselves. We'd be the first as referees to put our hands up and say, 'look, we got it wrong'.

"Does everybody as a player, manager, coach, selector say 'we got it wrong'? Some will, some won't. I think referees, we're very open to improving."

Earlier this year, RTÉ Head of Sport Declan McBennett hinted at the idea of mic-ing up referees after a brawl between Tyrone and Armagh players in the Allianz National League.

McBennett wished for "the ability for referees to articulate their decisions".

"That match between Armagh and Tyrone, most people didn't know why there was five players sent off. They didn't know why there was four from Tyrone and one from Armagh got sent off," said McBennett.

Or perhaps would the general public berate officials all the more if they are privy to the on-field decision making process?

"We want to come off that field and say, 'do you know what? There wasn't an incident there now that is going to cause us contention tonight'," said referee Lyons.

"Or if you're sitting down [after a game], 'will we watch The Sunday Game? Will we avoid The Sunday Game?'"

Tyrone referee Sean Hurson got the big one this year. He was the man in the middle for the All-Ireland SFC final between Kerry and Galway.

Hurson is an experienced official, with vast amounts of experience refereeing in the often intense Ulster Football Championship.

He made reference to pressure put on inexperienced referees by both players and management.

"I think when you're starting out refereeing, everybody's trying to find a weakness and they're trying to gain a benefit to their team so coaches and players are focusing on what they can get away with," said Hurson.

"The culture is there: how can we get better at beating the opposition? Sometimes they reflect on weaknesses or perceived weaknesses of the referee and unfortunately that's what's happening with our coaches.

Refs are not supposed to comment on matches afterwards. I'm not sure if I can think of any sport where they do, and I don't see what it'd achieve.