Association Football Referees Research Articles

High-Speed Efforts of Elite Association Football Referees in National and International Matches.

Amatori, S, Helsen, WF, Baldari, C, Serra, T, Belli, A, Guidetti, L, Rocchi, MBL, Sisti, D, and Perroni, F. High-speed efforts of elite association football referees in national and international matches. J Strength Cond Res 38(8): e417-e422, 2024-Field referees (FRs) need to move throughout the pitch to identify any infringements of the game's laws. Their performance depends on technical, tactical, physical, physiological, and mental factors. This retrospective study aimed to examine and assess the physical and physiological parameters as a function of time in elite association football referees during official matches. Global positioning system (match time, distance in different intensity ranges [low-intensity, high-speed, very high-speed running, and sprinting], average and peak speed, distance in accelerations or decelerations) and heart rate (average and peak) data from 212 national and international football matches were analyzed. A linear mixed-model analysis was performed to assess the differences between halves and between the three 15-minute sections of each half-time for all the physical and physiological variables collected. A significant effect of match half was found for the game time (p < 0.001) and the standing time (p = 0.005), both higher in the second half, and for the average speed (p = 0.017), which was lower in the second half. Total distance (p < 0.001), low-intensity distance (p = 0.004), and average speed (p = 0.007) all showed a reduction as a function of time. More than 7.800 high-speed intervals were detected. Accelerative actions within 3 seconds characterized most of the high-speed efforts of an FR during a match. Significant differences emerged in the way the match intensity is distributed across the match, analyzed both in halves (first vs. second) and 15-minute intervals within each half. It is important to emphasize the importance of high-speed training with a focus on a faster transition from low- to high-speed running to keep up with the play to get into an appropriate position and subsequently make the correct decisions.

Mental Health Symptoms of Amateur Association Football Referees: A Cross-Sectional Study

Although referees who officiate in the amateur football leagues are exposed to various stressors that can negatively affect their mental health (MH), little is known about their MH symptoms. The purpose of the study was to evaluate MH symptoms of referees who officiate in the Turkish amateur football leagues. An online survey was sent to all referees in the Turkish amateur football leagues (n = 4,900) incorporating standardized scales assessing depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 1,279 referees participated in the study. Female referees reported higher depression (p &lt; .01) and anxiety (p = .02) scores than males. Younger referees (23–27 years) reported higher depression (p = .01) and anxiety (p &lt; .01) scores than older (&gt;38 years) referees. Results showed that symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress scores were associated with marital status (being single), lower incomes, severe sports injury history, and inadequate social support. In light of these results, MH assessments should be undertaken to detect which referees are at greater risk of MH problems and facilitate appropriate and timely MH interventions. Further study is needed to inform MH risk reduction strategies and/or programming.

The assessment of the match performance of association football referees: Identification of key variables.

The purpose of this study was to understand the contribution of each performance indicator to evaluate match performance of football referees. Thirty-four elite Referee Match Observers (RMOs) from the Portuguese FA participated voluntarily in the study. From the official assessment sheet of each game, the referee's game score was categorized in two groups according to referee's game score: i) Referees with a Low Score (LFS) and ii) Referees with High Score (HFS). A multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between the Performance Indicators (PIs) of the dimensions i) game difficulty and game intervention and ii) disciplinary actions and game management in relation to the referee's match assessment score. The model proposed revealed that only the PIs negative application of the laws of the game and referee teamwork, from the dimension disciplinary actions and game management, significantly defined the final game referee's assessment score. This study suggests that the PIs scored by the RMOs contributed in a different way to the referee's game score. The model explains 60.4% of the referee's game score based on the variables referee teamwork and negative application of the laws of the game.

Referee Abuse, Intention to Quit, and Well-Being

ABSTRACT There are growing levels of abuse toward match officials in sport as well as general problems of their recruitment and retention. Purpose: This study analyzes the role that physical and nonphysical abuse has on association football referees’ intentions to quit and their personal well-being. Methods: Drawing on pooled survey data of association football referees from the UK and Canada, this paper employs probit, ordinary least squares, and treatment effects regression analyses to explore the casual relationship between the physical and nonphysical abuse faced by referees, their intention to quit and their well-being. Results: Although physical abuse is less common than nonphysical abuse both affect the intention to quit and well-being of officials. Moreover, those that do not contemplate quitting also face reductions in their well-being. Conclusion: The research recommends a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of abuse of officials in sport and identifies that organizations have a duty of care for the well-being of their officials.

Video assistant referees (VAR): The impact of technology on decision making in association football referees

ABSTRACT The use of technology has been proposed to improve decision-making in sport officials. The implementation of the video Assistant Referee (VAR) in association football is one example of how technology can be used to assist decision making, although its impact remains unknown. In 2195 competitive football matches across 13 countries, the VAR conducted 9732 checks for potential match-changing incidents, with the median duration of a check being 22 seconds. The checks resulted in a total of 795 reviews, with a median duration of 62.0 s for on-field reviews (N = 534) and 15.0 s for VAR-only reviews (N = 261).We report that the predictive odds for making the correct decision after VAR intervention were significantly higher than for the initial referee’s decision, with accuracy increasing from 92.1% to 98.3%. Findings have implications for the current debate about the introduction of technology in association football and may help set guidelines regarding the use of technology across other sports and professional domains.

Referee height influences decision making in British football leagues

BackgroundMale height is positively associated with social dominance, and more agonistic/competitive behaviours. However, the ‘Napoleon complex’ or ‘small man syndrome’ suggests that smaller males are more assertive and punitive to compensate for lack of height and social dominance. Here, we assess possible relationships between height and punitive behaviours in a real-world setting.MethodsUsing a non-experimental correlational design, we analysed data on 61 male association football referees from four professional leagues in England, and explored relationships between their height and punitive behaviours in the form of yellow cards, red cards and penalties given during an entire season.ResultsOverall there was no effect of referee height on fouls awarded. However, there was a main effect of height on yellow cards awarded, with shorter referees issuing more yellow cards. The same effect was found for red cards and penalties, though this was moderated by league. In the lower leagues, more red cards and penalties were awarded by relatively shorter referees, but in the higher leagues more red cards and penalties were awarded by relatively taller referees.ConclusionsThese findings from real-life public dominance encounters show that height is associated with punitive behaviours, but is sensitive to context.

Decrease in Attentional Performance After Repeated Bouts of High Intensity Exercise in Association-Football Referees and Assistant Referees.

Referees and assistant referees are submitted to high physical stress during matches. Pressure to make decisions in front of large crowds is another potential stressor. These two stressors can impair attention executive control, depending on physical fitness and individual vulnerability or resilience to situational pressure. Error percentage for referees and assistants may reach around 14% during a soccer match. Although previous studies have suggested that soccer referees and assistants should take cognitive assessments, they are only required by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to demonstrate knowledge of the rules and pass annually in a fitness test (FIFA-Test). This study aimed to assess attention performance in referees and assistants before and after the mandatory FIFA-Test. It is hypothesized that the high physical demands associated with the pressure to pass the FIFA-Test would interfere with attention performance. The sample included 33 referees and 20 assistants. The Continuous Visual Attention Test (CVAT) consisted of a 15-min Go/No-go task. Performance in the CVAT is based on four variables: omission and commission errors, reaction time, and variability of reaction time (VRT). Failure in the CVAT was defined by a performance below the 5th percentile of the age- and sex-matched normative data in at least one variable of the CVAT. Before the FIFA-Test all participants performed the CVAT. The second CVAT began 3–7 min directly following completion of the FIFA-test. Considering only the officials who passed both the FIFA-Test and the first CVAT (19 referees and 15 assistants), 44% (9 referees and 6 assistants) exhibited a performance decline in the second CVAT. A significant increase in VRT was found after the high intensity exercise. As increase in VRT is thought to reflect executive dysfunctions and lapses of attention, we concluded that physical fitness alone may not be enough to help officials cope with the physical and contextual stresses associated with the FIFA-Test. These data suggest that over 35% of soccer referees and their assistants who were considered physically able to referee matches may not be mentally prepared for the attentional demands of refereeing soccer matches.

How interacting constraints shape emergent decision-making of national-level football referees

ABSTRACTHere, using a grounded theory methodology, we explored the experiential knowledge of nine national-level Association Football referees (aged 23–35 yrs; 3.8 yrs mean minimum national-level experience) with the aim of better understanding why referees make decisions during performance. Results indicated that referee decision-making actions were not predominantly aimed at traditional notions of decision-making accuracy (e.g. correctly identifying rule transgressions), but were instead focussed on meeting two overarching task goals: maintaining control and preserving the integrity of the competitive game. These objectives were, in part, informed by co-invested task outcomes, which referees perceived that players, spectators, coaches and fellow referees had about ‘how the game should be played’. Analysis revealed four decision-making priorities (‘four pillars’) used to meet these expectations; these were conceptual notions of: safety, fairness, accuracy and entertainment. We discuss how these results provide a case that: (i) referees co-construct the game with players and (ii) referee decision-making is an emergent process of the performer–environment relationship nested within task goals. Finally, we recommend that future research investigate decision-making accuracy within the context of a competitive match and that distinctions be made between types of bias and the complex strategies referees use to manage the game.

The role of domain-generic and domain-specific perceptual-cognitive skills in association football referees

ObjectivesWe examined the importance of perceptual-cognitive skills in association football referees. Design and methodUsing a novel approach, elite (n = 22) and sub-elite referees (n = 21) completed an extended test battery of perceptual-cognitive measures. Participants were assessed using both domain-generic (e.g., sustained attention; working memory) and domain-specific (e.g., pattern recognition) perceptual-cognitive measures within the domain of refereeing. ResultsA multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences between groups on the following domain-specific perceptual-cognitive skill measures, with elite referees performing significantly better than their sub-elite counterparts: overall decision-making performance; anticipation; and recall capacity. No significant differences were reported between the elite and sub-elite referees on domain-generic perceptual-cognitive skill measures. A stepwise discriminant analysis highlighted that a combination of five predictor variables, including four domain-specific and one domain-generic perceptual-cognitive skill measure, significantly discriminated elite and sub-elite referees, with 90.7% of referees being classified correctly. ConclusionsOur findings shed light on the skills underpinning perceptual-cognitive expertise in referees and are consistent with the existing findings on expert outfield players. Implications are discussed with regard to testing and training programs for referees and across other professional domains.

Does slow motion impact on the perception of foul play in football?

Objectives: Slow-motion replays of foul play situations are now used in the education and training of sports officials. We investigated the impact of video speed on the decision-making process of association football referees and how this interacted with expertise. Methods: Three different groups of referees, varying in level of expertise, assessed video clips from an in-game perspective. Video clips represented corner kick and open play situations in which a foul occurred or not. For these foul/no foul situations, the referees had to make a technical (no foul; indirect free kick; direct free kick; or penalty kick) and a disciplinary decision (no card; yellow card; or red card), under both slow-motion and real-time viewing conditions. Accuracy scores were determined by comparing participant’s responses with the decisions of an expert panel. Results: Significant differences were observed across groups for foul/no foul situations, suggesting that the experts were able to process the available information more effectively than their less expert colleagues. The accuracy scores for the technical decision were higher in slow motion (67%) compared to a real-time viewing condition (56%), particularly for corner kick situations. No differences were found between real time and slow motion for the disciplinary decision. Conclusions: Slow-motion footage results in higher accuracy scores for complex technical decisions. These findings have implications for the use of slow-motion replays in the decision-making process of referees.

Visual search behaviors of association football referees during assessment of foul play situations.

It is well reported that expert athletes have refined perceptual-cognitive skills and fixate on more informative areas during representative tasks. These perceptual-cognitive skills are also crucial to performance within the domain of sports officials. We examined the visual scan patterns of elite and sub-elite association football referees while assessing foul play situations. These foul play situations (open play and corner kick situations) were presented on a Tobii T120 Eye Tracking monitor. The elite referees made more accurate decisions and differences in their visual search behaviors were observed. For the open play situations, referees in the elite group spent significantly more time fixating the most informative area of the attacking player (contact zone) and less time fixating the body part that was not involved in the infringement (non-contact zone). Furthermore, the average total fixation time in the contact zone and non-contact zone tended to differ between the elite and sub-elite referees in corner kick situations. In conclusion, elite level referees have learned to discern relevant from less-relevant information in the same way as expert athletes. Findings have implications for the development of perceptual training programs for sport officials.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s41235-016-0013-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Leading elite association football referees: challenges in the cross-cultural organization of a geographically dispersed group

This study examines the organization of elite Association Football referees in the domestic, European and international game. Specifically, the cross-cultural working practices, training, preparation and performance of these elite referees are explored. A total of 42 semi-structured interviews were conducted with elite referees and ex-referees as well as individuals involved in leadership and training worldwide to explore the leadership of a geographically dispersed workforce. Results highlighted some positive aspects of training and leadership, but indicated that effective leadership, evolution and innovation are required in order to keep pace with globalized, technological developments in Association Football. The findings can be utilized by leaders in order to understand further the challenges faced in the organization of elite sports people and assist in the construction of appropriate strategies towards a more standardized approach to leadership within refereeing, Association Football and professional sport.

The influence of stress and emotions on association football referees’ decision-making

Grounded in Lazarus’ (1999) Cognitive Motivational Relational Theory of Emotions and informed by Courneya and Carron’s (1992) Game Location Framework, this study examined the influence of stress and emotions on the decision-making of UK association football referees who were refereeing at different competitive levels. Through the use of interviews, it was found that stressors emanating from the crowd, previous mistakes, confrontation, players with bad reputations, and assessors evaluating referee performance was associated with threat or harm stress appraisals. These appraisals were associated with negative emotions that, when not managed, influenced poor perceived decision-making. In particular, the amateur referees reported situations where they were not able to cope with the stress and negative emotions experienced, and displayed either counter-attacking decision-making through giving decisions against the offending player, coach or team, or incorrect decisions due to a lack of focus caused by anxiety. In comparison, professional referees demonstrated problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies that promoted better decision-making. Implications for referee development are provided, as are recommendations for future research.

Physical Performance and Decision Making in Association Football Referees: A Naturalistic Study

Although researchers have independently investigated the physical and decision-making (DM) demands experienced by sports officials, the combined impact of locomotion and physiological factors upon DM has received little attention. Using an innovative combination of video and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology this study explored the movement, heart rate (HR) and DM of experienced football referees in their natural performance environment. A panel of independent referees analysed incidents (n = 144) taken from five referees in seven games in the New Zealand Football Championship (2005/06). The match-day referees made accurate decisions on 64% of the incidents, although their accuracy levels were not related to variables such as movement speed, HR, and cumulative distance covered. Interestingly, referees were on average only 51% accurate in the opening fifteen minutes of each half compared to 70% accuracy at all other times. This study demonstrated that it is possible to combine new emerging technologies to conduct a comprehensive study of naturalistic decision-making in sport.

Activity profile of top-class association football referees in relation to fitness-test performance and match standard

The aim of this study was to examine the kinematic activity profiles, cardiovascular responses and physical fitness of top-class football referees (n = 11) during the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. Computerised match-analyses (n = 9) were performed with a two-dimensional photogrammetric video system, and the cardiovascular demand imposed on the referees (n = 12) was measured using heart rate recordings. Total distance covered was 10,218, s = 643 m of which 3531, s = 510 m was covered at high intensities (> 3.6 m · s−1). Both total distance covered (r 2 = 0.59; P = 0.02) and high-intensity activities (r 2 = 0.44; P = 0.05) were related to the distance covered by the ball in the same match. The referees ran at high speed 37% further (P = 0.01) in the actual tournament than during under-17 top-level officiating. After the 5-min interval during which high-speed running peaked, in the following 5 min the performance was reduced by 19% (P = 0.01) in relation to the mean of the game. Mean heart rate was 161, s = 9 b · min−1 (86, s = 3% of maximal heart rate (HRmax)). Mean heart rate (expressed as percentage of HRmax) was related in part (r 2 = 0.36; P < 0.01) to the number of high-intensity activities performed in the same 5-min interval. The results of this study show that: (1) kinematic activity profiles of top-class referees can be influenced by the distance covered by the ball; (2) the amount of high-speed running (>5 m · s−1) best describes the physical performance of referees; (3) heart rate recording can be a useful tool to determine the most intense periods of a match and (4) the new fitness tests adopted by FIFA were poor predictors of match activities.

Activity profile of top-class association football referees in relation to performance in selected physical tests

The aims of the present study were (1) to analyse the physical demands of top-class referees and (2) to compare their official FIFA fitness test results with physical performance during a match. The work rate profiles of 11 international referees were assessed during 12 competitive matches at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Cup and then analysed using a bi-dimensional photogrammetric video analysis system based on direct lineal transformation (DLT) algorithms. In the first 15 min of matches, the referees were more active, performing more high-intensity exercise (P < 0.01) than in the first 15 min of the second half. During the second half of matches, the referees covered a shorter distance (P < 0.01), spent more time standing still (P < 0.05), and covered less ground cruising (P < 0.05), sprinting (P < 0.05), and moving backwards (P < 0.001) than in the first half. Also in the second 45 min, the distance of referees from infringements increased (P < 0.05) in the left attacking zone of the filed. There was also a decrease (P < 0.05) in performance in the period following the most high-intensity activity, compared with the mean for the 90 min. Time spent performing high-intensity activities during a match was not related to performance in the 12-min run (r 2 = 0.30; P < 0.05), the 200-m sprint (r 2 = 0.05; P < 0.05), or the 50-m sprint (r 2 = 0.001; P < 0.05). The results of this study show that: (1) top-class referees experienced fatigue at different stages of the match, and (2) the typical field tests used by FIFA (two 50-m and 200-m sprints, followed by a 12-min run) are not correlated with match activities.

Decision-making skills and deliberate practice in elite association football referees

We examined sport expertise as a function of role. In study 1, referees were better than players in a video-based decision-making task. This provides evidence that there are role-specific skills within one domain or sport. In study 2, we examined the training activities that could be influential in the development of skills in sports officials. Elite association football (soccer) referees retrospectively reported time spent in and perceptions of training activities for three periods: their first year of formal refereeing, 1998 (before formal training programmes were available), and the current year (2003). This allowed us to examine an area of skill with a limited culture of practice, where performance simulations with direct feedback are usually not feasible. The results showed that referees specialize early and, as they develop, they engage in greater volumes and types of training. Competitive match refereeing is considered a relevant activity for skill acquisition that does not fit Ericsson and colleagues' (1993) original definition of deliberate practice. Our findings indicate that actual performance is a significant activity for skill acquisition and refinement.

The impact of a team's aggressive reputation on the decisions of association football referees

It has been suggested that individuals may use heuristic methods of reasoning and rely on schemata when a quick decision is necessary. Accordingly, it is possible that decisions made by sport officials may be influenced by prior knowledge they have about teams they are officiating. The aim of the present study was to determine whether sport officials are more likely to penalize individuals who participate in a team with an aggressive reputation. In a balanced design, 38 football referees were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group and were presented with the same 50 video clips of incidents from football games, all involving a team in a blue strip ('blue team'). The incidents were categorized before the study by five experienced referees into fouls committed both by, and against, the blue team, where all participants agreed that a foul had been committed (certain incidents), disagreed it was a foul (uncertain incidents) or agreed that there was no foul (innocuous incidents). Both groups received written instructions before the task; in addition, the experimental group was informed that the blue team present in all of the clips had a reputation for foul and aggressive play. For each incident, the participants were required to indicate what action they would engage in if refereeing the game. Although there was no difference in the number of decisions made, the experimental group awarded significantly more red and yellow cards against the blue team both overall and for the 'certain' incidents. It is suggested that prior knowledge may impact referees' behaviour in a laboratory setting, although future research should explore whether a similar effect is observed in the behaviour of referees during football matches.

Analysis of the work rates and heart rates of association football referees.

This study aimed to describe the work-rate profiles of referees during soccer matches and record heart-rate responses during these games. Using video-recordings 14 referees were observed and their heart rates during the games were monitored by short-range radio telemetry. These included 11 football league matches. The exercise intensity was largely submaximal with a change in activity every 6 s. The mean distance covered during the game was 9.44 km; a significant fall in work rate was noted in the second half (P < 0.05). The mean heart rate of 165 beats min-1 did not vary between first and second halves. The work rate and heart rate varied more between individuals than with the importance of the match, but this variation was small. It was considered that refereeing top level soccer places high physiological demands on the official. This has implications for training and fitness assessment.