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Good officiating practices

[Deleted User][Deleted User]
in Community Forum 🏠

I was browsing around on the USA Swimming website and stumbled on their officiating resources out of curiosity. While reading the officials manual, one of the things that struck me was the emphasis on positive behavior and demeanor on part of the referee:

 

 

...

• conducting him/herself with dignity and good humor, while ensuring fair and equitable conditions for the competition;

• remaining impartial, while sustaining positive relationships and building trust in the swim community;

...

2. Positive Swimming Attitude

 

The referee's confidence in understanding the swimming rules, his/her respect for the other officials and his/her understanding for those who are still gaining knowledge of the sport contribute to a positive swimming attitude. The attitude is manifest in the referee’s efforts to ensure that all other officials, swimmers and coaches are able to perform their respective tasks to their greatest potentials.

...

8. Admit a mistake if wrong; competitor's welfare is more important than your own ego.

 

 

Now I've never been a competition official in any sport in any capacity, but I wonder if this type of attitude and spirit is actively encouraged as the norm in other sports? I realize that officiating is a challenging task and one needs to be firm to be impartial, but it's disappointing sometimes to see people being unnecessarily hardassed and abrasive when placed in a position of authority. Back when I did fencing in college, I remember some refs just being downright rude and condescending towards competitors, even while doing routine things like equipment checks. IMHO, it's kind of a disconcerting double standard in a sport where it's customary (and required) to salute your opponents and judges before and after every match. On the other hand, I've great appreciation for the refs who manage to pull a red card on me and still be patient enough to explain what I did wrong so that I can actually learn something from the experience, and know that they're just trying to help me out instead of trying to get me. 

I've never had much interaction with officials in triathlon, so I'm not sure what it's like in this sport. Then again, I guess there's not always a whole lot of opportunity for that (I think) when the bulk of official-athlete interaction is in the form of calling out drafting from a moto and lifeguards trying to get folks like me to swim in a straight line .

Anyone else have any personal experiences with good/bad officiating?

 

Comments

  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

     My experience with WTC officials has been uniformly positive. Several times I have been cautioned about a potential drafting penalty without actually getting one - like being 5-6 meters back instead of the 7 required. (maybe my white beard and wrinkled skin gives me some leniency?). Twice I've been sent to the penalty tent. Each time, the official was professional, neutral in his approach. And the officials in the penalty tent are downright boistrous and fun-loving - you've already been tagged, no need to rub it in.

    Jimmy Ricotello runs a good system, and thinks first of ensuring athlete safety and fairness, rather than catching people on nit-picking details.

  • Christian RabbatChristian Rabbat
    I agree with Al. No negative experience in my brief Tri career, in fact, the officials are often helpful if you ask them for opinions about distance, etc.

    The Canadian women's soccer team may have a different opinion about FIFA practices though.....
  • penlynwilsonpenlynwilson
    The local officials in the Houston area are great!

    I used to officiate bike races (both road and velodrome). I had to put on my "officials hat" and be professional, unbiased, reserved, etc. Hard to maintain when people are being mean to you, yelling at you, etc. John (hubby) also officiated. I remember at one race a racer was giving him problems about something and John told him, "I get paid a lot of money to put up with crap at work. I don't get paid a lot of money to do this, so I don't put up with any crap." The guy shut up.

    I don't know how much USAT officials are paid, but as bike racing officials, we got paid almost nothing (plus mileage which was more than our fees). We also usually donated our fees back to the race because the clubs/teams were often losing money on the race. Most officials are out there because they love the sport and it is one way to "give back." I know there was one weekend I raced my race, then jumped in a truck to officiate the rest of the day because that is how short the area was on refs.

    Be sure and thank the officials when you see them. It is a hard, often thankless job.
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