Football lagging behind rugby in respect for referees

10:03am Friday 25th April 2008

A few weeks ago I discussed in this column the issue of respect for football referees.

It was brought about by the views of leading non-league referee Reuben Simon, who having taken charge of some parks matches on his way back to fitness, had expressed fears about the way abuse of officials at the top level was being mimicked at grassroots.

Since then, some high-profile cases have seen the issue tackled in the national press.

Even that most unlikely backer of referees, The Sun newspaper - whose comprehensive Goals section of a Monday provides the biggest platform for managers to scapegoat officials - has launched its own respect campaign.

But what has football as a sport done, apart from hand Javier Mascherano a couple of extra games suspension for his, frankly, laughable tirade at Steve Bennett? Nothing.

It is a ridiculous state of affairs, especially when this doesn't seem to be anything like such an issue for the nation's other big team sport.

The RFU may never have lived down Quins and England legend Will Carling's "old farts" jibe, but the truth is that they are light years ahead of the FA on these issues.

They allow video evidence to be used to help referees at the top level... something that has been talked (and talked and talked) about in football.

And suspensions are handed out and rescinded after the event on a case-by-case basis. No automatic three-match bans unfairly meted out here but, as a Richmond Ladies player found out recently, six month-bans can act as a deterrent in most extreme cases.

In football, it is down to clubs to appeal - and risk landing an extra game suspension if the disciplinary hearing doesn't like the tone of their argument.

That doesn't back referees - it undermines them further and makes them seem more remote from the fans.

Earlier this month, Alan Wiley was in Sunbury to speak to West Middlesex Referees' Society, and Bennett did the same in Sutton. Their unsung work is great for encouraging would-be football referees to take up the whistle.

But, to demonstrate how far behind football is, top rugby referee Wayne Barnes heads for the Stoop next Wednesday to give a talk to a Harlequins supporters' group.

You just couldn't imagine, say, Arsenal's fans having access to a football ref. And, if they did, the likes of Fergie or Mourinho would quickly use it as evidence of some supposed bias against their teams.

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