The Emergence of Training and Assessment for Referees in Association Football: Moving from the Side-lines

Abstract

The referee is an essential part of the codified form of Association Football that we know today. Nevertheless, this has not always been the case; whilst a referee, in some form, has been a requirement since codification in order for football matches to occur, referees have not always been central in the thought process of rule makers and those developing the game. This essay explores the evolution of the referee within Association Football and, more specifically, the training, support and assessment practices that referees have received since the codification of Association Football in 1863. Therefore, this essay focuses on debates and input from governing bodies, such as the Football Association, FIFA and the Referees Associations specifically related to referees and their training, support and assessment as the association code of football continued to evolve.

O árbitro é uma parte essencial da forma codificada do futebol que conhecemos hoje. Ainda assim, isso nem sempre foi o caso. Embora a presença de um árbitro tenha sido, de alguma forma, desde a codificação um requerimento para a realização de jogos, os árbitros nem sempre foram elementos centrais no pensamento dos realizadores de regras e daqueles que desenvolveram o jogo. Este trabalho explora a evolução do árbitro no futebol e, mais especificamente, o treinamento, apoio e práticas de avaliação que árbitros recebem desde a codificação do futebol, em 1863. Dessa forma, este trabalho tem como foco os debates e ações de entidades gestoras, como a Football Association, a FIFA e a Associação de Árbitros, especificamente ligadas aos árbitros e seu treinamento, apoio e avaliação, ao longo da evolução do futebol.

El árbitro es un elemento básico de la modalidad codificada del fútbol asociación que conocemos hoy en día. Aunque no siempre ha sido así; a pesar de que el árbitro siempre ha sido un requisito desde la codificación del juego para que los partidos de fútbol sean factibles, no siempre han sido un elemento central en el proceso mental de sus reguladores y de los que lo iban implantando. El presente ensayo explora la evolución de la figura del árbitro en el Fútbol Asociación, y más en particular, las prácticas de preparación, apoyo y evaluación de que han sido objeto los árbitros desde la codificación del fútbol en 1863. Por lo tanto este ensayo analiza los debates y las aportaciones de los órganos de gobierno, como la Football Association, la FIFA y las asociaciones de árbitros, específicamente relacionadas con los árbitros y con su preparación, apoyo y evaluación, a medida que el código del fútbol asociación se iba desarrollando.

L'arbitre est un élément essentiel de la forme codifiée du football que nous connaissons aujourd'hui. Néanmoins, cela n'a pas toujours été le cas; bien que l'arbitre soit indispensable au déroulement d'un match de football depuis la codification de ce sport, il n'a pas toujours été au centre des préoccupations de ceux qui ont créé les règles et développé le jeu. Cet essai explore l'évolution de la place de l'arbitre dans la Football Association et plus spécifiquement, la formation, le soutien et l'évaluation des pratiques, que les arbitres ont reçus depuis la codification du football en 1863. Par conséquent, cette étude se concentre sur les débats et les propositions faites par des organismes comme la Football Association, la FIFA et l'Association des arbitres, spécifiquement liées aux arbitres et leur formation, soutien et évaluation au fil du développement des règlements du football.

Der Schiedsrichter ist ein wesentlicher Teil der kodifizierten Form des Fußballs, die wir heute kennen. Dennoch ist dies nicht immer der Fall gewesen; während der Schiedsrichter seit der Kodifizierung eine Voraussetzung dafür war, dass Fußballspiele stattfanden, standen sie nicht immer im Mittelpunkt des Denkprozesses der Entscheidungsträger und jener, die das Spiel entwickelten. Dieser Artikel untersucht die Entwicklung des Schiedsrichterwesens innerhalb des Fußballs und insbesondere die Schulung, die Unterstützung und die Bewertungsverfahren, die Schiedsrichtern seit der Kodifizierung des Fußballs im Jahr 1863 zuteilwurden. Daher konzentriert sich dieser Artikel auf die Debatten und Beiträge von Dachverbänden wie der Football Association, der FIFA und den Schiedsrichterverbänden, speziell in Bezug auf Schiedsrichter und ihre Ausbildung, Unterstützung und Bewertung, da die Verbandsvorschriften des Fußballs sich fortlaufend weiterentwickelten.

審判は、今日我々が知るところの成文化されたサッカーにおける不可欠な要素である。しかしながら、常にそうだというわけではなかった。サッカーが成文化されて以降、審判は試合が行われるための必要条件ではあったものの、ルールを制定する人々や選手たちの思考過程においては、必ずしも常に中心的な存在ではなかった。本稿では、サッカーにおける審判の発展を扱う。とりわけ、１８６３年のサッカー成文化以来、審判が受けてきたトレーニング、支援及び評価といった実践を取り上げる。したがって本論文では、サッカーの規則体系の変遷の中で、フットボールの指導団体であるイングランドサッカー協会（FA）や国際サッカー連盟（FIFA）、審判協会から行われた議論や介入の中から、特に審判やそのトレーニング、支援及び評価に関わるものに焦点を当てて議論を行う。

正如我们今天所了解的，裁判是足球协会构成的必要组成部分。然而，情况并非总是如此；当裁判员成为足球比赛的一个必要条件从而使得比赛发生时，他们并没有一直处在规则制定者和足球运动推动者们思维过程的中心位置。本文探讨了足球协会体制内裁判员的演变，更具体地说，是现代足球协会自1863年成立以来裁判员的培训、支持和评估工作的实践。为此，本文集中讨论了来自足球管理机构，如英格兰足协、国际足联和裁判员联合会，特别是随着足球法规的演进涉及裁判员以及他们的培训、支持和评价工作的一些争议和做法。

Keywords::

• referee
• training
• assessment
• Association Football

Notes

^1.Harvey, Football, 84.

^2.Harvey, “An Epoch,” 56.

^3.Harvey, Football, 84–5.

^4.Thomson, The Man in Black, 21.

^5. Ibid., 23.

^6.Russell, Football and the English, 31.

^7.Mangan and Hickey, “Pioneers and Their Influence,” 667; “Keeping the Ball Rolling,” 750.

^8.McArdle, From Boot Money, 16.

^9.Birley, Land of Sport, 268.

^10. FA Council minutes, January 14, 1888.

^11. FA Council minutes, February 6, 1888.

^12. FA Council minutes, November 20, 1887.

^13. FA Council minutes, April 15, 1888.

^14.Giulianotti, Football, 6.

^15.Thomson, The Man in Black, 26–9.

^16.Russell, Football and the English, 31.

^17.Green, “A Diary,” 22.

^18.Inglis, League Football, 14; Giulianotti, Football, 6.

^19. FA Council minutes, May 27, 1892.

^20.Thomson, The Man in Black, 38–9.

^21.Witty, “Referees and Linesman,” 193.

^22.Witty, “The Laws To-day,” 160.

^23.Mangan and Hickey, “Keeping Control,” 730.

^24. Ibid.

^25.Davies and Carosi, “100 Years,” para 3.

^26. FA Council minutes, January 16, 1895.

^27.The Referees Association, Background and Formation, paras 4–5.

^28.Thomson, The Man in Black, 43.

^29.“A Low Birth Rate,” 6.

^30. FA Referees' Committee minutes, July 5, 1913.

^31.Tomlinson, “North and South,” 31–2.

^32.Sutcliffe, Brierley, and Howarth, The Story, 15.

^33.Inglis, League Football, 77.

^34. FIFA Annual Congress minutes, June 1, 1913.

^35. Ibid.

^36. Ibid.

^37.“International Corner,” 3.

^38. FA memorandum for the guidance of referees and linesmen, January 1935.

^39. Ibid.

^40.Annal, “Professional Football,” 7.

^41. Ibid.

^42.“Cheltenham Conference,” 3.

^43.Turnbull, “Rally Round,” 2.

^44.“Brief Account of the Conference,” 2.

^45. FA Referees Committee minutes, June 1, 1931.

^46.“Points of Motion,” 7.

^47.“A Kindly Gesture,” 1.

^48.“The Appointment and Promotion,” 8.

^49. Ibid.

^50. FA Council minutes, December 13, 1947.

^51.Green, The History, 470.

^52. Ibid.

^53.“Address by Dr. A. W. Barton,” 4.

^54.“Correspondence from the FA,” December 1948, 7.

^55.Colwell, “Elite Level Refereeing,” 202.

^56.“Home Counties Conference,” 6.

^57. Ibid., 7.

^58. FA Referees' Committee minutes, February 26, 1951.

^59.“Grading and Promotion,” 3.

^60.Witty, “The Organization of Referees,” 200.

^61. Ibid., 202.

^62.“Annual Conference,” 5.

^63. Ibid., 1.

^64.“Some Thoughts,” 1.

^65.“The Examination,” 2.

^66.“Certified Instructors,” 3.

^67. Ibid.

^68.Rogers, “Request for Representation,” 11.

^69. FA Referees' Committee minutes, May 3, 1957.

^70. FA Referees' Committee minutes, December 9, 1957.

^71. FA Referees' Committee minutes, May 3, 1957.

^72. Ibid.; FA Referees' Committee minutes, September 23, 1957.

^73.Rae, “Teaching the Teachers,” 6–7.

^74. FA Referees' Committee minutes, December 9, 1957.

^75. FA Instructional Committee minutes, May 3, 1957.

^76.“Physical Training,” 16–7.

^77.“Referee Instructors Course,” 18.

^78. Ibid.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tom Webb

Tom Webb is Senior Lecturer in Sports Development at the University of Portsmouth. His research focuses predominantly on elite refereeing in Association Football, and most recently he has been undertaking research comparatively examining elite referee training, development and performance in England, Spain and Italy.