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How To Prevent Referee Assaults

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Another weekend. another official assaulted. How can this be stopped?


An umpire was treated for injuries by medics at Sean Moore Park after an alleged assault.

A Minor Hurling League game in Dublin between Naomh Fionnbarra and Clanna Gael Fontenoy was abandoned following an alleged assault on a match official.

An umpire was treated for injuries by medics at the match venue, Sean Moore Park, and Gardaí were called to the scene.

Naomh Fionnbarra had two players red carded.

The referee abandoned the match early in the second half.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3505 - 06/03/2023 11:37:38    2462220

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People would want to grow up. Unfortunately these things are accepted in the locality. The only way to stop this sort of thing is social shame as antiquated as that sounds. Until you have clubs banning these people and and supporters from the same club and county telling these thugs they're not welcome, it will continue. And people won't want to hear it but it absolutely starts with verbal abuse of officials being part and parcel and totally accepted, encouraged even. You abuse a ref enough verbally and sure the next step is naturally the physical stuff. But people love to wash their hands of that as if they've no influence or impact on these things.

Refs get things wrong and jeez sometimes I'm looking at it thinking they have it out for Donegal or whoever else that day but it is what it is, the ref is only human and all we should be doing as supporters is trying to influence the game positively for our team. Make the noise, make the atmosphere, gee up your team and put pressure on the opponent (and yes, the ref too), but leave the abuse out of it.

There was a good chat on the Second Captains podcast last year around abuse that referees get.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 96 - 06/03/2023 12:18:46    2462241

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Anyone who physically assaults a ref or match official should be locked up. The same as if they assaulted someone anywhere else.
People like that are a liability and need to be dealt with severely.
I don't agree with the previous comment that the next natural step from verbally abusing a ref is physical assault. The vast majority of people wouldn't dream of physically hitting a match official and the numbers show it.
There's also a clear difference between supporters expression a frustration at a decision, like 'for **** sake' and someone verbally abusing a ref, which is completely unacceptable.
We need to be very clear about what's acceptable and what's not. It's also up to other patrons to call out any nonsense from anyone being abusive.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2039 - 06/03/2023 12:51:06    2462255

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Unfortunately in our rush to be PC we have thrown the baby out with the bathwater and now we are left with a society which for the most part has no moral compass. Not only are referee assaults accepted but I daresay in some quarters they are endorsed and even encouraged.

A sad world we live in.

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 143 - 06/03/2023 13:42:36    2462278

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Teams have lost All-Irelands over the years due to bad refereeing but they accepted it and moved on (or most of them).

bruffgael (Limerick) - Posts: 143 - 06/03/2023 13:50:16    2462285

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I think the likes of Paudie Clifford criticizing the ref in his victory speech for Fossa, and every single sports show I listened to was joking about it including ex county players, and the Gaa not even coming out with a statement criticizing what Clifford did, it says a lot about the Gaa not willing to tackle it.

jam83 (Galway) - Posts: 132 - 06/03/2023 14:09:22    2462300

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Replying To jam83:  "I think the likes of Paudie Clifford criticizing the ref in his victory speech for Fossa, and every single sports show I listened to was joking about it including ex county players, and the Gaa not even coming out with a statement criticizing what Clifford did, it says a lot about the Gaa not willing to tackle it."
Referees are not getting physically assaulted because of players criticism. They are usually criticised after poor refereeing performances. No referee sets out to have a poor game. But if he does he should expect criticism, the same as a player or manager would after a poor game. I think you are confusing 2 seperate issues there.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11806 - 06/03/2023 14:32:22    2462315

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Replying To jam83:  "I think the likes of Paudie Clifford criticizing the ref in his victory speech for Fossa, and every single sports show I listened to was joking about it including ex county players, and the Gaa not even coming out with a statement criticizing what Clifford did, it says a lot about the Gaa not willing to tackle it."
Paudie Clifford was absolutely right… the referee was a disgrace in that match… If a refs performance is bad it should be highlighted the same as a players bad performance….and they are actually getting paid to do the job right… Time the GAA tackled the woefully poor standard of refereeing

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1920 - 06/03/2023 15:02:14    2462332

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Referees or any other official getting attacked is down to badness and lack of basic notions of how to behave oneself. Particularly to be condemned when as we've seen lately it's been alleged adults acting the maggot at underage games.

Not going to comment on what happened in Ringsend, and wasn't there, but suffice to say it reflects badly on both clubs involved from what I've seen and heard.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2546 - 06/03/2023 15:34:37    2462348

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This thread is an embarrassment to the Association. Any wonder we have difficulties recruiting and retaining referees. Comment from Limerick poster started it, what about players' being at fault? Embarrassing all round. As for the Cavan poster, his mother should take his phone away.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1486 - 06/03/2023 15:45:55    2462354

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Anyone who physically assaults a ref or match official should be locked up. The same as if they assaulted someone anywhere else.
People like that are a liability and need to be dealt with severely.
I don't agree with the previous comment that the next natural step from verbally abusing a ref is physical assault. The vast majority of people wouldn't dream of physically hitting a match official and the numbers show it.
There's also a clear difference between supporters expression a frustration at a decision, like 'for **** sake' and someone verbally abusing a ref, which is completely unacceptable.
We need to be very clear about what's acceptable and what's not. It's also up to other patrons to call out any nonsense from anyone being abusive."
Course there is a difference between shouting "for *** sake" or "ara come on ref!" to actual verbal abuse. We all know that difference but plenty will pretend like they are the same in order to excuse the verbal abuse. Nobody is having a go at supporters shouting at a ref for getting a decision wrong (in their eyes), or like I said in the first post - nobody is saying don't make noise and make an atmosphere to try and influence and pressure the opponents and refs to benefit your team. So let's nip that in the bud right now - that's not what I'm talking about in terms of verbal abuse.

In terms of what you say about "the numbers", that podcast I mentioned previously was because of this research. https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/63223707

"Research conducted with 438 referees by Dr. Noel Brick of Ulster University during the 2021 lockdown GAA season revealed that 94% had suffered verbal abuse while 23% had suffered physical abuse."

Nearly a quarter of 438 refs have suffered physical abuse per this research. And nearly all of them have had verbal abuse. So if you're saying practically 4 out 4 refs being verbally abused, with 1 out of 4 of them being physically abused, isn't linked? Does the physical abuse just happen in a wee part of the pitch all on its own, totally divorced from everything else going on?

Like I said, people would want to grow up. We love our sport but it's sport at the end of the day.

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 96 - 06/03/2023 15:47:32    2462357

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Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "Paudie Clifford was absolutely right… the referee was a disgrace in that match… If a refs performance is bad it should be highlighted the same as a players bad performance….and they are actually getting paid to do the job right… Time the GAA tackled the woefully poor standard of refereeing"
I cannot agree with that comment, ForeverBlue. If a team manager publicly criticises a referee after a game he is likely to be sanctioned, and rightly so. The same should apply to players, and I think team captains have a responsibility to show some leadership in that regard. By the way, I'm not aware of any referees getting paid to do their job. They get their due expenses but nothing more, as far as I know.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 542 - 06/03/2023 16:31:45    2462368

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Replying To Viking66:  "Referees are not getting physically assaulted because of players criticism. They are usually criticised after poor refereeing performances. No referee sets out to have a poor game. But if he does he should expect criticism, the same as a player or manager would after a poor game. I think you are confusing 2 seperate issues there."
Yes bad refereeing should be highlighted but not over a public address system by one of the players while the referee is standing there with a stadium of people, plus TV cameras, looking at him.

jam83 (Galway) - Posts: 132 - 06/03/2023 16:37:45    2462369

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And people won't want to hear it but it absolutely starts with verbal abuse of officials being part and parcel and totally accepted

100% correct

Shouting abuse at referees at club level should not be acceptable. Clubs need to make it clear to their members and ban members if needed.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 06/03/2023 16:47:33    2462374

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "And people won't want to hear it but it absolutely starts with verbal abuse of officials being part and parcel and totally accepted

100% correct

Shouting abuse at referees at club level should not be acceptable. Clubs need to make it clear to their members and ban members if needed."
What are you classing as verbal abuse in this post? There is a big difference between shouting at a ref from the stands, telling him you think he made a bad decision etc, and actually assaulting a referee. Both in spirit and law. As a fan of a team who are victims of a poor refereeing performance what is wrong with letting the referee know you aren't happy with them? And how exactly do you stop yourself shouting something at the referee if you are fully engaged in the match you are watching and fully supporting the team you are supporting in it?
If a mechanic does a bad job fixing your car, or you buy food in a takeaway and it's not what you ordered or not cooked properly, or a painter does a bad job painting your house of course you will tell them you aren't happy. If you beat them up over it then that is obviously very wrong of you.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11806 - 06/03/2023 17:11:11    2462383

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "And people won't want to hear it but it absolutely starts with verbal abuse of officials being part and parcel and totally accepted

100% correct

Shouting abuse at referees at club level should not be acceptable. Clubs need to make it clear to their members and ban members if needed."
No one at the games then

thestrapper49 (Louth) - Posts: 313 - 06/03/2023 17:16:47    2462386

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A referee who fails to do his job properly should be called out…. At no time would I tolerate or agree with physical abuse…that's stepping over the line too far.. The GAA have made the referees job more difficult by continually changing the rules… When a referee has to be escorted from the pitch it's hardly because he did a wonderful job…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1920 - 06/03/2023 17:29:34    2462391

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Replying To Viking66:  "
Replying To bad.monkey:  "And people won't want to hear it but it absolutely starts with verbal abuse of officials being part and parcel and totally accepted

100% correct

Shouting abuse at referees at club level should not be acceptable. Clubs need to make it clear to their members and ban members if needed."
What are you classing as verbal abuse in this post? There is a big difference between shouting at a ref from the stands, telling him you think he made a bad decision etc, and actually assaulting a referee. Both in spirit and law. As a fan of a team who are victims of a poor refereeing performance what is wrong with letting the referee know you aren't happy with them? And how exactly do you stop yourself shouting something at the referee if you are fully engaged in the match you are watching and fully supporting the team you are supporting in it?
If a mechanic does a bad job fixing your car, or you buy food in a takeaway and it's not what you ordered or not cooked properly, or a painter does a bad job painting your house of course you will tell them you aren't happy. If you beat them up over it then that is obviously very wrong of you."
Excellently put "Viking66"……

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 1920 - 06/03/2023 17:37:01    2462396

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Pure thuggery. Assault is assault whether your wearing a jersey or not.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1907 - 06/03/2023 18:30:12    2462410

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How many inter County or club managers promote the respect of referees or are evidently respectful of refs themselves? A comment mentioned above as to why the GAA keep changing the rules? Most rule changes were in response to how dire our game has become. Its a cat and mouse game for the Gaa and a new trend in the game can come in overnight while a rule change to counteract this may take years to be voted in. An e.g. of this is the mark designed to somewhat protect a player who fields a high ball who now is not ravaged by 3 or defenders (which was a direct result of mass defenses) The mark is a bit of a joke now as an unmarked player can easily claim one but we know why it was origonally introduced.
As to how one referee can police the pace of the game now, the sin bin, the sledging, the black card ( aka the Sean Cavanagh card) listen to abuse from players, mgmt & supporters is a task I wouldnt bestoe on an enemy. The amount of hand passing now means the potential for far more bodily contact and fouls, something a kicking game bypassed. The ref is an ametuer policing an extremely professional outfit (especially at intercounty level), that has minibus full of stats men, coaches, trainers, gurus, S&C, GPS trackers etc. etc. who know how many km a player runs (and can run!! ) their heartbeat etc.. Combined their time is in the hundreds of hours a week (all getting paid) and the poor oul ref who gets a few euro expenses is expected to keep up with this machine on the field?? An impossible task and I commend the vast majority of them for what they do.
You want to see the McGees in action and the pressure they put on refs as well as everything else he had to contend with.
Put simply if each players mistakes were totted up at the end of the game between both teams they'd be well in double figures if not hundreds yet a ref makes 2 and he is hung out to dry?? I'm not out to defend bad referring but for God's sake look at the black card and how big a grey area it is!! We all have our opinons on how it should be but I know for one why its there.
If managers (and players) were smart they'd realise that every time they dispute a refs call they are actually losing energy and upsetting the team balance. Can't they just get on with it???
We better be careful because the shortages of refs are well highlighted and it's no wonder. Itd be interesting to see how many intercounty players (or club players!) take up refeering!!??
In the meantime a culture of respect for refs and promoting it is the only immediate cure in the Gaa but maybe that's also gotten very scarce outside the world of GAA also.

Inatfullforward (Longford) - Posts: 93 - 06/03/2023 18:31:38    2462411

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