Abuse of Referees

evolvingtipperary101

Primetime covering social media abuse tonight. James Owens had this to say:

"The most important thing is that if you're after having a game, for the next two or three days, just don't follow anything online or anything like that. Don't be looking at stuff because there can be nasty stuff said about you and it can get personal."

Speaking about the psychologist that works with inter-county referees behind the scenes, he added: "He helps us in as many ways as possible, especially after a weekend game or whatever, if something controversial is after happening, you know, we're encouraged that he's only a phone call away, and just pick up the phone and he's there to talk to you."

The top-level referee has a sharp message for the trolls who are behind increasingly personal online abuse.

He said: "I'm an individual. You don't know what kind of a day I'm after having. You don't know what's going on in my life, my personal life, you don't know what's going on in my family's life or whatever.

"You mightn't mean to do what you're doing, but you know, something like that could tip somebody over. My advice is - just think before you write."

Do we as posters, myself included, need to call out this kind of thing treatment of refs, and not just of refs but of players too. We've all rage posted at some point, particularly after a game. But rather than trying to stop doing certain things, are there better habits to be picked up? How about a positive referee thread, where we seek to point out good things refs have done and why?

Happyilylost

Galway fans don't like James Owen.......

evolvingtipperary101

23% of refs have experienced physical abuse:

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0829/1319310-gaa-referees-quitting-verbal-physical-abuse-mental-health/

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119537427#Comment_119537427

Thats horrible. not surprising but horrible. will take something drastic for that figure to decrease

Refs and all match officials need far greater supports if things are to get better for them. they need better training and there needs to be far harsher punishments for abuse of officials and to try change the attitudes towards officials at all levels

Fr Tod Umptious

A few years ago a u14 player from my club got sent off for abusing a ref.

I was not at the game and did not see the incident.

I was in the company of the parents of the other players on the team a few weeks later.

They were in agreement that the ref deserved all the abuse she got because she was making a bad job of it, and of course they perceived that she was favouring the other team over them in her decision making.

When you have parents going around with attitudes like that at underage there is little or no hope that anything will get better anytime soon.

UsBus

A whole other level of abuse in the Roscommon minor match. Ref laid out by the manager last night

one man clappin

He will surely get jail time for that. saw a video of it this morning, it was an absolute disgrace.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552536#Comment_119552536

He has to get Jail for that and a lifetime ban from attending any GAA game, club activities etc.

evolvingtipperary101

I see the report on RTE there. It's all too frequent a recurrence at underage games.

https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2022/0901/1319994-referee-roscommon/

Game destroyed the game for everyone. Some example for children. Rotten.

evolvingtipperary101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119550564#Comment_119550564

Exactly. You can see the negative obsession with reds online, especially. Perhaps social media is exacerbating such negativity around refs.

evolvingtipperary101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552254#Comment_119552254

Yeah, that's a huge issue. It just passes down a negative and corrosive attitudes to future supporters and players.

UsBus

How does a guy with this type of temperament get to manage a minor team..? The whole organisation is deranged, wrapped up as "passion for the local community". Even the commentary on the video wasn't surprised by his actions.

CrabRevolution

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552254#Comment_119552254

This is how I see it too. Whenever abuse of referees is brought up, you'll get a a lot of "well maybe if they weren't so bad at it they wouldn't get abuse".

Gusser09

I've seen the video of that ref in Roscommon getting assaulted. That "manager" needs jailing.

Life ban for him. No volunteer referee who takes time out of his life to ref a match should be subject to such thuggery.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552786#Comment_119552786

I think the Gardai should be involved. GAA punishment can come later.

evolvingtipperary101

https://twitter.com/PremierviewPod/status/1565266975323987969?s=20&t=VGbvEYxLSrZt74c5DU8MmA

Video in question

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552804#Comment_119552804

It's not enough if he is barred from ever entering a playing field again !

UsBus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552817#Comment_119552817

Wasn't really heat of the moment either. He calmly strolled onto the pitch and walked off the same. Knew well what he was going to do

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552850#Comment_119552850

That's it ! It wasnt a heat of the moment action.

What an example to the youngsters on the field. It will be interesting what sanctions are taken

Gusser09

A head butt too. Savage vicious.

Clareman

Absolute disgrace, if he did that on the street he'd be arrested and not bailed until a judge spoke to him.

For me, the amount of abuse shouted from all areas at refs is a disgrace, i was at a match on Sunday and what adults were shouting down from the stands was well above what'd be considered normal behaviour, until people start taking responsibility for their own behaviour and realise they are disgracing themselves not supporting their team nothing will change.

elefant

There are Mountbellew Moylough players who physically interfered with a referee in a top-level provincial club game at the end of last year, and were back playing football a few months later despite the whole thing being streamed live and then widely discussed in the national press. Unless there are proper punishments meted out for actions that go way beyond the realms of acceptable behaviour on GAA fields, we'll keep seeing these kind of stories.

Young lads seeing club heroes and mentors doing this kind of thing and then all back to normal in no time can't help but be negatively influenced. It's a scourge.

Tombo2001

This is shocking stuff - the big thing here for me is that the punishment should be on the club as much as the individual.

Its not uncommon to come across clubs, or teams within clubs, where there is a culture of abusing referees, where its seen as ok, where its not challenged.

This attack didnt happen in a vacuum.

The fact is that at present, the GAA is effectively condoning this by (i) having no clear guidelines on how players or mentors (its a bit much to say an u17 team has a 'manager) communicate with referees, (ii) not giving suitable punishments for on-field violence. Rugby has been the role model for years, GAA has chosen not to follow.

muddle84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553468#Comment_119553468

What would be the punishment if this scenario occured at an u17 rugby match?

Gusser09

At the very least the club should be coming out with a statement and banning the guy for life removing his membership.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553529#Comment_119553529

The club need to be held accountable as well. They approved him to manage the team. Each Club should have a code of conduct and should be punished for this. It is the only way to get idiots like this guy sorted and also make the club accountable to drive proper behavior. If this involves a serious fine and/or expulsion from all competitions for a period, it will get the point across to all clubs and in particular this club to clean their **** up.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553468#Comment_119553468

100%

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553645#Comment_119553645

Absolutely.

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553515#Comment_119553515

Well thats a what if, I dont know.

But I do know that only the captain has permission to speak to the referee in rugby, which is they way it should be.

In my view, this is a massive test for the GAA - its not just about punishing the incident, its about admitting that refs are not being protected (by the GAA) and that the rules have to changes.

1373

If I was a ref in roscommon, I'd pull my services if this guy doesn't get a proper long ban .

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553515#Comment_119553515

Be banned for a couple of years at least.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553515#Comment_119553515

24 weeks to life ban depending on how the discipline committee made their decision etc

rosser44

Banned for life, and a few months in a cell too to boot.

The club should hang him out to dry, but I think we'll see pigs fly before that happens. An absolute coward going after an official like that.

Realt Dearg Sec

From what I've heard the guy who did it is well known for his behavior, and even had a nice nickname to go with it: psycho. So yeah the club absolutely have to beat responsibility for putting someone with form for this craic I'm charge of a children's team, and for letting him represent their club. As for the man himself, I wouldn't share a street with him. Jail. He walked out like he was going to start an engine or something, it's disturbing stuff.

JustJoe7240

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554034#Comment_119554034

Who's going to enforce that one? I wouldn't be turning that lunatic away at the turnstile when he rocks up.

evolvingtipperary101

There was another incident in Tipperary last week. Does anyone have any details on that?

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554472#Comment_119554472

There are incidents around the country on a daily basis. More and more are getting noticed now because of the filming of games.

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553751#Comment_119553751

The GAA in Roscomon should open an investigation, suspend individuals without bias if necessary, but then their investigation should be adjourned and the civil authorities ie An Garda Siochana should investigate and punish any wrongdoing as appropriate

This guy shouldn't be allowed to hide behind being a GAA person for this alleged incident, the full rigours of the law of the land should come down on him as appropriate, and then let the GAA investigate/Punish as appropriate after the civil authorities have done with him.

cson

That's an assault & should be a straightforward conviction if prosecuted. That man needs to know what the inside of Castlerea Prison looks like, if he doesn't already. They can fire into the sun this bullshit of 'out of character'/'good clubman' etc etc at the hearing.

The_Kew_Tour

Is there any footage of the slap or headbutt itself?

Videos I have seen have it cut out.

Might not be full story wait and see

TagoMago

Absolutely disgraceful stuff, a lifetime ban and criminal prosecution completely warranted here.

People often bemoan the standard of referees in GAA, but it's not like they fall from the sky, incidents like this will only make people less inclined to put their name forward for what is already a thankless job, and the standard of officiating will regress further.

Ash.J.Williams

Should be zero tolerance on ref abuse of any kind and the abuse definition should be very low . Even the “ ffs ref”

this particular issue should be dealt with by gardai without any hesitation

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554916#Comment_119554916

Anything I'm hearing is that it was totally unprovoked. I'm not sure if you are trying to justify the headbutt?

JustJoe7240

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554916#Comment_119554916

Not the full story? What could possibly have been cut out to justify that behaviour?

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554916#Comment_119554916

Hahahah trying to find a way to potentially justify a headbutt where the camera didn’t show them for about 3 seconds. Ref must have some serious verbal skills to have provoked it

muddle84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554277#Comment_119554277

In fairness, i'm guessing you heard that from the same whatsapp that half the country have got at this stage. He deserves everything he has coming for what he done to the ref. But that whatsapp is only hearsay. For all we know the lad has never done anything like this before, so i don't know how you can he has form for this stuff without knowing more outside the whatsapp message?

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553997#Comment_119553997

It is not just Roscommon, it is in every county. Within my own county, we had a u13 game, where it was clear the ref was not physically able to ref (he was over weight by about 8 stone) and was allowing marks when these were not supposed to be happening. Calling for fouls when they were not and then not giving them in others. I am not blaming the ref, as the County Board should have a bit of "cop on" and not have this guy ref or if they do, some proper training is given to him. I think they just can't get refs and so some guys are doing it when they should not.

So, it really is more than the abuse and comes down to the quality of refs/training provided, but even if decisions don't go your way that does not mean you beat the head of some guy trying to do his best.

This manager in Roscommon is in serious trouble if it goes to court and the club should also be made pay just as bad.

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554226#Comment_119554226

100%. That thug needs to see the wrong side of a jail cell

Brussels Sprout

Perplexed seeing the comments talking about bans. This is a straight up criminal assault and an extremely cowardly one at that. The man needs to go to jail.

Shank Williams

I’m sure we will all be hearing about what a stalwart of the community the guy who punched the ref and local priest etc will be rolling out the testimonies

evey club has at least 1 of these absolute gobshites though- usually people who were utter failures as play