Poor sports

THE physical and verbal abuse endured by Capital Football referees and revealed by The Canberra Times is appalling and it needs to be dealt with strictly and swiftly. Referee abuse in any form is unacceptable, but the disgusting behaviour detailed in a leaked summary document of 35 incidents experienced by Capital Football referees over the past four years is intolerable. It beggars belief why this has been allowed to continue for so long.

The harrowing dossier details abuse by players, spectators and team officials of referees who were simply doing their job. One was punched in the nose. Another was head-butted during the game, then confronted again at full time with death threats and several attempts to punch him yet again.

The first incident resulted in just a fourmatch suspension, the second a threematch ban. There was an abusive team official who forced his way into the referee’s changeroom after the match. And another where team officials locked the referees out of their changeroom altogether. No action was taken on either occasion. The dossier reveals that in at least 11 cases, Capital Football took no action. It’s no wonder the game is haemorrhaging referees aged between 18 to 30, with 45% leaving in the past two years.

Since the complaints were brought to light, Capital Football has set out an action plan, but while the responsibility for discipline lands squarely at the feet of Capital Football, it’s the players, spectators and team officials who need to take responsibility for their own actions and the actions of their teams. Sportsmanship needs to make an urgent comeback.