Unit 25 – Rules, Regulations
and Officiating in Sport
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in
Sport (2016 Spec)
What is this unit about?
1. Looking at the rule changes in sport over time
1. Considering how these developments over time have changed the
roles and responsibilities of the officials
1. Analysing the performance of official through assessment methods
1. Actively take part in officiating a competitive match
How will you be assessed?
• This unit will be assessed through 3 assignments.
⮚Assignment 1 – Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the officials involved in
sport
⮚Assignment 2 – Explore the performance of officials in
a selected sport
⮚Assignment 3 – Undertake the role of a match official
in a competitive sport
• This requires dedication to the course as these
assignments need to be completed in your OWN time
outside of lessons.
Learning Aim A – Understand the
development of the roles and responsibilities
of the officials involved in sport
• A.P1 – Explain how and why the current role and
responsibilities of the official have evolved over time
• A.M1 – Analyse how and why the current role and
responsibilities of the official have evolved over time
• A.D1 – Evaluate the influences contributing to the evolution
of and impacts on the current roles and responsibilities of
the official
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Week 1 – Understanding the development of
officiating roles and responsibilities in sport
Learning Aim A – Understand the
development of the roles and responsibilities
of the officials involved in sport
• A.P1 – Explain how and why the current role and
responsibilities of the official have evolved over time
• A.M1 – Analyse how and why the current role and
responsibilities of the official have evolved over time
• A.D1 – Evaluate the influences contributing to the evolution of
and impacts on the current roles and responsibilities of the
official
Lesson 1 Outcomes
Students will …
• Develop an understanding of how rules / laws started off and
were shaped into what we know within our sports today
• Consider how the landscape changes for officials within their
respective sports when a rule change is implemented
• Be able to explain the process of rule/law changes within sport
and map across the levels to the point that grassroots
participants are informed
Starter …
Referee
Assistant Referee
Think of as many different
officiating roles from as
many sports as possible …
5 minutes
Video Assistant Referee (VAR)
Timekeeper
Fourth Official
Umpire
Television Match Official (TMO)
Line Judge
Scorekeeper
Crew Chief
Race Director
History of Rules and Regulations - Early Days
• The majority of sports started off with limited
rules/laws (e.g. football started off as a lawless
mob sport with whole villages competing!)
Watch the following clip from Ashbourne
Shrovetide…
• How did football come to be what it is today when
you see what “football” used to look like?
• Consider – this is a modern equivalent …
Medieval football would have been much more
brutal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y48Uq6Nisf8
History of Rules and Regulations - Codification
• 19th century schools – root of structure of
many sports as we know them today
(football, rugby and netball) – these
schools created their own rules
• This process was known as ‘codification’
and were the rules these sports operated
until National Governing Bodies took
control
• An example of how school codes have
stood the test of time include half-times…
These were not created to give players a
rest – it was to swap rule codes so no
school was disadvantaged based off of
their school rule set
https://spartacus-educational.com/Fpublic.htm
Football in Public Schools
https://spartacus-educational.com/Fpublic.htm
History of Rules and Regulations - Derivative
Sports
Derivative sports - these are a
version of an existing sport created
by a NGB to attract new spectators
and interest to the sport ...
• T20 cricket
• Beach volleyball
• Rugby 7’s
What might have
changed for the
officials?
Task …
In pairs/small groups, pick an
existing sport and try to create
a derivative version of that
recognised format …
20 minutes
What rules could you change to create your new sport?
Consider differences in the officiating of the sport
Governing Bodies - Hierarchical Structure
• Officials are required
to have a very in-depth
knowledge and
working application of
their sport’s rules
• How are rules changes
implemented within
modern sporting
structure?
• Starts at a global level
and changes are
filtered down through
the respective
governing bodies
IFAB
FIFA
UEFA
The FA
London FA
Hierarchical structure for football in the UK
Process for Rule Changes
• International – IFAB make rulings on changes to laws of football
and inform FIFA firstly, who then inform their respective
members (UEFA/CONCACAF/CONMEBOL etc)
• National – Governing bodies such as The FA are then informed
of changes to laws by UEFA
• Local – Regional counties such as the London FA are then
informed by The English FA. It is at this point that grassroots
officials, coaches and players learn of the new legislation and
are bound by these rules.
One Last Task (5 mins) …
• Pick a different sport and research the
process that their governing bodies go
through the implement rule changes …
• How many NGBs are involved in the
filtering of information across international,
national and local levels to inform all
participants?
• Try to create a diagram or chart to highlight
this
Learning Check
1. Provide an example of a derivative sport …
Beach Volleyball, T20 Cricket, Rugby 7s, Futsal, 3x3 basketball
1. What process did schools go through to create their own set of
rules / laws in the 19th century?
‘Codification’
1. Map out the pathway for a grassroots referee in London to
learn about a new rule change in junior football? –
IFAB inform FIFA. FIFA inform UEFA. UEFA inform the FA.
The FA inform London FA. London FA then pass onto all of
their members.
Key Terminology
• Governing Body - an organisation that creates the policies and
direct the affairs of a sporting activity
• Codification - the process of creating a system of rules that all
participants follow
• Derivative Sport - a version of an existing sport created by a
governing body to attract new spectators and interest to the sport
• Grassroots - the bottom or most basic level of an organisation
or hierarchy
Careers in Sport: Premier League Referee
Responsibilities
• Timekeeping
• Recording the score
• Maintaining discipline
• Producing a match report
Salary
• Premier League referees were paid £1,150 per match in the 2020/21 season,
according to Goal. Officials reportedly receive an annual retainer of between £38,500
and £42,000 ($50,820), based on experience, which can make their total income as
high as £70,000 per year.
Working hours
• This is dependent on the programme of fixtures in the league
Who could you work for?
• Football Association
Lesson 1 Outcomes
Students will …
• Develop an understanding of how rules / laws started off and
were shaped into what we know within our sports today
• Consider how the landscape changes for officials within their
respective sports when a rule change is implemented
• Be able to explain the process of rule/law changes within sport
and map across the levels to the point that grassroots
participants are informed
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Lesson 2 – Understanding the development of
officiating roles and responsibilities in sport
Lesson 2 Outcomes
Students will …
• Be able to explain the process of rule/law changes within
sport and map across the levels to the point that grassroots
participants are informed
• Critique recent rule changes in a sport and consider their
impact on different contexts across the different levels of the
sport
Starter …
In pairs, research a sport of your choice and
prepare a short report about the key rules and
regulations …
Consider:
• Size of playing area?
• Scoring within the sport?
• Team sizes?
• Number of officials?
• Match time?
• Misconduct punishments?
15 minutes
Examples - National Governing Bodies
Sport
International GB
National GB
Local GB
Rugby Union
International Rugby
Board (IRB)
Rugby Football Union
(RFU)
London Rugby Football
League
Netball
International Netball
Federation (INF)
England Netball
Cumbria County Netball
Basketball
International Basketball Basketball England
Federation (FIBA)
Kent Basketball
Association
Tennis
International Tennis
Federation (ITF)
Kent Tennis Association
Lawn Tennis
Association (LTA)
The Ripple Effect …
… Just how far does it go?
VAR
• Written into the laws of the game by
IFAB on March 3rd 2018 after extensive
trials
• Has this development and introduction
been a plus for the game of football?
• Just how far down the football pyramid
does this rule change impact?
10 minutes
Current-day Regulations
There are usually rules that are common-place in all sports to inform participants of
what is and is not allowed, or to know if a rule has been broken
• Playing area / dimensions – NGBs
• Facilities and equipment – Variant based
will provide a range that a playing area
off of sport (e.g. American football requires
can be sized within
specific protective equipment whereas
cricket players can use different size bats
• Playing surface – Surfaces can vary
based off their preference)
in some sports (e.g. Tennis – clay,
• Scoring system – Can be goals (football),
grass, concrete) but again stipulated
points (basketball) or shots played (golf)
by NGBs
• Officials – Can depend on sport
• Number of players – NGBs will
requirements (e.g. ‘X’ amount of pitch and ‘X’
provide number of starting players and
amount covering VAR in rugby)
substitutes
• H&S – Not sole responsibility of officials as
• Time – Sports can be played in real
players, coaches and fans also engage in
time (e.g. golf) or in artificially
this
controlled time (e.g. rugby – play stops • Discipline and sanctions – Cards systems,
for video reviews and restarts after a
sin bins and technical fouls are all
decision has been found)
disciplinary systems used in sports to
officiate
What are your thoughts on
these headlines?
Group discussion; consider the
impact of modern-day media
on officials in sport …
5 minutes
Who Shapes Your Opinions … ?
• What are your thoughts on the
incidents described here?
• Should clubs and players be using
social media to vilify officials or
pundits?
• Consider your sporting interests …
who has the strongest say in
shaping your thoughts and opinions
about a subject and why?
Football pundit Karen Carney said Leeds "outrun" opponents and an enforced rest during the
Covid-19 pandemic aided their Championship
promotion in season 2019/20
Impact of Media on Officials
• Changes to match–day processes – TV timeouts in basketball
required new signals to be created and learnt so officials knew when
to restart the game
• Increase in stress and anxiety – fear of making a mistake due to TV
audience
• Media professionals can exaggerate “mistakes” made by officials,
when actually they are just legitimate interpretations of a given law
• Punditry is increasingly negative and spends more time highlighting
”mistakes” by officials than praising the hundreds of correct decisions
as the “mistake” is better to watch and analyse as it is controversial
Impact of Technology on Officials
Modern technology has developed significantly as, as a consequence,
shifted the demands on officials at the elite level in particular …
• Timing technology – Stopwatch replaced by electronic timing systems
in athletics to measure within 0.0001 seconds
• Heat sensors – Used in cricket to assist cricket umpires in identifying
barely distinguishable touches on the bat
• Microphones – Can be linked to public address systems to keep the
crowd informed (American Football)
• Video Assistant Referee (VAR) – Used to validate a decision in a
sport (e.g. to check a penalty has been correctly awarded in football)
Task (20 mins) …
• Choose a sport
• Identify and describe 2 impacts
that the media have had on
officiating - supported by a reallife example for each
• Identify and describe 2 impacts
that technology has had on
officiating - supported by a reallife example for each
Key Terminology
• Ripple Effect - the continuing and spreading of an effect down or
up the hierarchy of governing bodies
• Punditry - the use of an expert in the sport to comment on and
analyse performance
Careers in Sport: Sports Pundit/Commentator
Responsibilities
•
prepare for an event by researching clubs, coaches or players
•
work with a production team
•
interview sports professionals
•
report on the action as it takes place and give updates on the scores and highlights
•
describe events in an impartial, yet enthusiastic way
•
work with experts who give their opinion or statistics
•
attend conferences, games and tournaments
•
update your website, blog or social media feed
Salary
• £13,000 - £80,000 depending on experience and skill level
Working hours
• This is dependent on the programme of fixtures in the sport
Who could you work for?
• Sky, BT, ESPN, BBC, ITV
Lesson 2 Outcomes
Students will …
• Be able to explain the process of rule/law changes within sport
and map across the levels to the point that grassroots
participants are informed
• Critique recent rule changes in a sport and consider their impact
on different contexts across the different levels of the sport
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Lesson 3 – Roles and Responsibilities of
Officials
Lesson 3 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider the historical development of officials in sport
• Identify and describe the roles and responsibilities of
officials in sport
Starter …
Discuss the development of officials in a sport of your choice –
consider the changing roles and responsibilities that have
developed over time.
How did the role originate? What has it become today? Has it
changed at all?
Starter …
Role
Outline
Origins
Current Role
Football
Referee
(worked …)
Originally amateurs.
Progressed to elite-level
and paid full-time.
Originally settled disputes Support from
between ”gentlemen
linesmen/women since
players”
1891. Now supported by
third, fourth and fifth
officials with unique
responsibilities incl. VAR
Basketball
Referee
Originally amateurs
working at Springfield
college. Progressing to
improving accuracy of
decision making and
positioning
Originally the there was
In the NBA, there are now
only 13 rules to basketball seven officials; one crew
chief, two referees, one
scorekeeper, two
timekeepers and one
replay center official
Arbiter (F1)
Timekeeping (athletics)
Roles of
officials
Scorekeeping (diving)
Disciplinarian (football)
Safety Officer (all)
Key Terms
Arbiter
Disciplinarian
• An official where their primary role is to
settle disputes between two parties – in the
sporting sense, this would be players or
teams
• E.g. A Video assistant referee in football or
• An official where their primary role is to
uphold the rules of the sport itself through
the issuing of disciplinary sanctions
• E.g. A referee in rugby issuing a sin bin for
high tackle
a judo judge
** It is possible for an official from a particular sport to be both! **
Do they have a
right to defend
their decisions or
show a human
element by coming
out and admitting
to a mistake?
Consider – what
might happen if
officials start
fighting back
online?
Relationship – Media and Officials
• This relationship is unavoidable in elite
sport considering the popularity and
pressure placed on teams, coaches
and players
• All NGBs have guidelines in place for
officials to deal with the media
• Not being interviewed
• Any statements must be put out through
PGMOL or your NGB/regulating body
• Issue with this approach – creates a
barrier between officials and media
and leads to, at times, harsher scrutiny
Relationship – Media and Officials
An evolving trend in punditry …
• Broadcasters are hiring ex-referees who
are no longer bound by NGB guidelines
to provide their “expert” opinion on
decisions as they happen
• E.g. Peter Walton working for BT Sport
• Consider – if a match official gets a
decision wrong, and Peter highlights
this on live TV, does this exacerbate the
situation with the watching fans?
Responsibilities of the Officials
All officials are expected to perform the following responsibilities,
irrespective of the sport …
• Effective communication
• Suitable appearance
• Application of the rules
• Fair play
• Facilitate positive relationships
• Scoring of the match / game
• Ensure the safety of all involved
Responsibilities of the Officials
Communication
• Imperative that officials
communicate with players, coofficials, staff and other
stakeholders
• This can be verbal and/or nonverbal communication dependent
upon the situation
• At elite level, this can include
technology such as microphones
and an earpiece
Appearance
• Officials must always dress
appropriately and professionally
• Officials must always behave
appropriate and professionally
Responsibilities of the Officials
Application of the Rules
• Knowing the rules is all well and
good but, officials must know how
to apply them fairly
• Sport is incredibly subjective but
officials must know and be
decisive in a given situation based
off of the rules
Fair Play
• Ensuring that the core values of
sport are upheld
• Knowing and having an instinct
for what is right
• Having a sense of justice and
fairness is imperative
Responsibilities of the Officials
Relationships
• Establishing and maintaining
positive relationships is vital for all
effective officials
• Communication, clear boundaries
and respect are ways of
maintaining these relationships
Scoring
• In some sports such as netball
and football, officials are required
to keep details of the score and
goal scorers
• In some elite cases, these
responsibilities are carried out by
an additional official off the field of
play
Responsibilities of the Officials
Health and Safety
• Arguably the most important
responsibility of all
• Official acts within recognised
guidelines to ensure everyone is
safe
• E.g. Rugby official cancelling a
match due to a frozen pitch to
ensure the safety of all players
Learning Check
1. Define the role of a disciplinarian official …
2. List three responsibilities of an official …
3. Explain how an official can ensure the health and safety of all
players
Lesson 3 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider the historical development of officials in sport
• Identify and describe the roles and responsibilities of officials in
sport
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Lesson 4 – Roles and Responsibilities of
Officials
Lesson 4 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider examples of best practice in officials where they have
demonstrated the key roles and responsibilities in applied
contexts
• Develop a presentation, highlighting the key roles and
responsibilities of an official, using example sof where they have
demonstrated them
This Lesson …
Task
Over the next 30 minutes, create a profile of a referee
highlighting the following …
• Key roles
• Key responsibilities
• Examples of where officials have demonstrated
these and why it is important
• This can be at any level – elite, regional, grassroots
30 minutes
What you will need …
• A3 paper and pens (offline)
• PowerPoint presentation (online)
Lesson 4 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider examples of best practice in officials where they have
demonstrated the key roles and responsibilities in applied
contexts
• Develop a presentation, highlighting the key roles and
responsibilities of an official, using example sof where they have
demonstrated them
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Lesson 5 – Roles and Responsibilities of
Officials
Lesson 5 Outcomes
Students will …
• Analyse the development of technology and how officials have
adopted these changes
• Critique the introduction of technology and the impact it has on
the official’s roles and responsibilities
Stopwatch
5 minutes
Starter …
Goal-line technology
Hawkeye
Global Position Systems (GPS)
How many examples of
technology can you think of
in modern-day sport that
help to officiate games …
Replays
Slow-motion
Inertial measurement unit sensor
Wireless Communication
Hot-spot
Snick-o-meter
Trackman
Video Replay Systems
The reasons why VAR/VRS were introduced in football?
Thierry Henry vs Ireland (2009)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLUxMRYJAso
Frank Lampard vs Germany (2010)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WML0aP4jo_g
Video Replay Systems
Sports at the elite level are using VRS to help officiate
matches with increasing frequency …
• E.g. TMO used in rugby to assess try/no try situations
• E.g. Steven Adams (Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas
Mavericks)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWGynZ2NzSU
Wireless Communication Technology
Sports at the elite level are using wireless communication
technology to help officiate matches with increasing frequency …
• E.g. Referees in American football will announce the decision to
the stadium
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ1HByJSIkE
Technologies Impact on Officials
Video Replay Systems
Wireless Communication
In pairs, analyse the positives and
negatives of this technology and how it
has impacted the roles and
responsibilities of the modern-day
official …
In pairs, analyse the positives and
negatives of this technology and how it
has impacted the roles and
responsibilities of the modern-day
official …
• 1 positive of technology and impact
• 1 negative of technology and impact
• 1 positive of technology and impact
• 1 negative of technology and impact
Debate … !
The class will be split in two – one side will argue FOR the use of
technology in sport (VAR/VRS). The other side will argue
AGAINST the use of this technology in sport. This will be the
starter activity for our next lesson …
• Research examples that will support your case
• Consider points the opposite side will make and think of how
you can counter it
• Create a bank of points and counterpoints
Key Terminology
• Video Replay System - an Instant replay or action replay is a
video reproduction of something that recently occurred which was
both shot and broadcast live. The video, having already been
shown live, is replayed in order for a viewer to see again and
analyse what had just taken place.
• Wireless Communication - is the transmission of voice and data
without a physical connection (cable or wires). The transmission
travels through electromagnetic signals broadcast from a sending
facility to intermediate and end-user devices.
Links
•
•
•
•
•
•
https://populous.com/rise-of-the-machines-how-technology-istransformingsport#:~:text=At%20the%202022%20FIFA%20World,precise%20dete
ction%20of%20kick%20points.&text=on%20the%20pitch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Sports_officiating_technology
https://www.sportico.com/business/tech/2023/artificial-intelligencesports-officiating-1234724999/
https://sirc.ca/knowledge_nuggets/technology-in-officiating/
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/nba-hawk-eye-sony-3d-datatracking-officiating-automated/?zephr_sso_ott=iPMdA7
https://thesporting.blog/blog/the-use-of-technology-in-football-var
FE in Sport: Sports Technology
https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/sports-technology-beng/
Lesson 5 Outcomes
Students will …
• Analyse the development of technology and how officials have
adopted these changes
• Critique the introduction of technology and the impact it has on
the official’s roles and responsibilities
Learning Aim A:
Understand the development of the
roles and responsibilities of the
officials involved in sport
Lesson 6 – Current Issues in Officiating
Lesson 6 Outcomes
Students will …
• Identify current issues within the officiating field
• Explain the issues and consider the impact these might have on
those interested in becoming an official
Be honest – have you ever engaged in the
abuse of a match official? What was the
reason/motivator behind the abuse?
Would you become an official? If not, why?
What are the benefits of becoming an
official?
Current Issues in Officiating
• Abuse of officials
• Recruitment of officials
• Political issues
• Litigation
• Professionalism
Abuse of Officials
What do you
think is the
cause of this?
• Respect towards match officials has eroded over time
• Abuse comes in many forms including physical, verbal and
online
• Initiatives have been implemented at the grassroots level in
football (FA’s Respect Campaign, 2008) to deal with this but the
issue is deeply rooted in society and change is difficult
Survey Conducted by:
What the questionnaire revealed
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Of the 927 respondents, 908 said they'd experienced verbal abuse from either spectators,
players, coaches or managers.
Many (778) had been sworn at while officiating, while 375 had received personal abuse about
things like their appearance, gender, race or sexual orientation.
Some 293 experienced physical abuse from either spectators, players, coaches or managers.
A threat of violence against them or their loved ones had been made against 283 of the
respondents.
Verbal or physical abuse had negatively affected the mental health of 361 who answered the
questionnaire.
There were 57 people who had received a death threat against them or their loved ones.
The amount of abuse towards referees is worse now than five years ago, according to 440 of
the respondents.
There were 378 of the 927 referees who said they are "often" or "sometimes" worried about
their safety.
Many respondents (506) were either moderately or very dissatisfied with measures currently
being taken to tackle referee abuse by the English FA.
Recruitment of Officials
There is a recruitment issue within UK,
European and World sport, with
officiating roles becoming less popular
due to a range of issues including …
• Abuse
• A desire to play or coach instead
• Lack of value placed on roles
• Sportsmanship is declining due to
increased rewards in sport (bending
the rules and acting in a way that
might might give them an advantage
over being a good sport)
Why do individuals become
officials?
1. For excitement
2. Out of enthusiasm for the sport
3. A desire to contribute towards
player development
4. Keeping up-to-date with
changes in the sport
5. Fitness benefits
6. Mentally stimulating
Recruitment of Officials –
Solutions Focused …
There is a recruitment issue within sport but these
ideas have been put forward and tried as ways of
solving this issue …
• Marketing campaigns
• Regular monitoring of standards
• Mentoring schemes
• Incentivised pay structures rewarding loyalty and
desire to progress
• Support officials in holding parents, players,
coaches etc accountable for the abuse aimed at
officials
Other Issues in Officiating
Political
• Elite-level sport is global with all
manner of nationalities and
faiths/religions mixing – this
provides a challenge for officials
to be aware and manage these
personnel accordingly
• E.g. Being aware of national
conflicts and managing players on
opposing teams accordingly in
case tempers flare
• E.g. Consider the voting systems
on Eurovision – A lot of votes are
politically motivated as opposed
to voting based off of talent
Social
• Litigation and legislation – NGBs
are providing legal support,
CPD, third-party liability and
events to educate officials on the
increasing risk of legal cases
being brought against them
• Professionalism – In the UK,
most sports officials outside of
elite-level football are juggling a
full-time job alongside additional
officiating commitments. This
provides a challenge in itself to
ensure they can fulfil both
responsibilities to the best of
their ability
Ultimate Frisbee - a sport with no officials!
Players of ultimate Frisbee, pride themselves on
being a little different from athletes in other
sports. That mentality is embodied in a concept
referred to as the spirit of the game.
“Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship
that places the responsibility for fair play on the
player,” the rules state.
“Highly competitive play is encouraged, but
never at the expense of mutual respect among
competitors, adherence to the agreed upon
rules, or the basic joy of play.”
Links
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/38452288/european-soccer-elitereferees-premier-league-etc-blame
https://www.sayyestoofficiating.com/recruit-retain-sports-officials/get-theword-out/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10313877/Refereesleave-football-droves-horrific-abuse-10-000-gone-five-years.html
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1207735-the-nba-and-its-bubbling-refereecrisis
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/189311-how-to-fix-the-nba-refereeingcrisis
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-04-25/youth-sports-refereesumpires-abuse-assault
https://untold-arsenal.com/archives/27209
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/world-cup-qatar-refereesonelove-28556439
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/feb/06/russian-referee-clearedracially-abusing-hulk
Lesson 6 Outcomes
Students will …
• Identify current issues within the officiating field
• Explain the issues and consider the impact these might have on
those interested in becoming an official
Learning Aim B:
Explore the performance of
officials in a selected sport
Lesson 7 – Applying the rules and regulations to
different situations
Learning Aim B – Explore the
performance of officials in a selected
sport
• B.P2 – Explore the performance of officials in a selected sport
• B.P3 - Review the performance of officials using assessment
methods in selected sports, identifying strengths and areas for
improvement
• B.M2 – Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of officials’
performance in selected sports
• B.D2 – Evaluate the performance of officials officiating in
selected sports for recommended good practice
Lesson 7 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider different situations where officials are required to
apply the rules and regulations within a sport
• Discuss and explain the skills required to be an effective official,
whilst applying to sporting contexts
Starter … Applying the Rules and
Regulations
Sport
Situation
Type of Issue
Action Required
Football
Player offside
Player in illegal position
Free-kick awarded to
opposition
Football
diving
Simulation (feigning
injury or contact)
Caution player
(booking/yellow card)
Basketball
Attacking player in zone
for more than 3 seconds
Players in an illegal
position
Call violation and offer
the ball out of bounds to
the opposition
Task – Complete five examples of where an official or set of officials apply a rule
or regulation in a sport of your choice
Skills of an Effective Official - what do
we need to be good at the role?
•
•
•
•
•
Applying the rules to different situation
Effective decision making
Effective communication
Behaviour management
Game control/management
Skills of an Effective Official
Decision Making:
• One of the most important traits, which is increasingly hard to
demonstrate with modern day deviance in players in some sport
• E.g. A basketball official making a decisive call on a player
travelling (easier call)
• E.g. Football players feigning injury at the lightest of brushes on
a part of their body (harder to call)
Skills of an Effective Official
Decision Making – consider these factors …
• Memory – a visual bank of images that constitute all the key decisions
• Visual perception – The view of the incident … Are they in the best
position to see?
• Unwanted distractors – Crowd noise and factors such as these can
make decisions harder in the moment
• Pre-judgment – Trampoline finalists compete from lowest scored to
highest which, in theory, means a judge should only see improved
performance
Skills of an Effective Official
Communication - Verbal:
• Includes verbal, paralanguage and delivery
• Paralanguage includes volume, pitch, articulation, emphasis
and rate – an official must be able to adapt these based off of a
given scenario or person
Skills of an Effective Official
Communication – Non-verbal:
• Body language
• Eye contact
• Facial expressions
• Proximity
• Haptics
• Orientation
• Whistle/signalling
Skills of an Effective Official – Behaviour
Management
Style
Example
Forcing
Collaborating
Compromising
Avoiding
Accommodating
• Forcing – No discussion, decision made.
• Collaborating – Engaging with a captain to
manage their player
• Compromising – Offer and give and take.
“You play, I’ll referee …”
• Avoiding – Turns a blind eye but makes a
mental note for later
• Accommodating – “Thank you, you have
had your say – let’s play on!”
From your own experiences, when have you
encountered an official that has used these
behaviour management styles?
Skills of an Effective Official – Nigel Owens
Watch this clip
– Analyse Nigel
Owen’s
demeanour and
behaviours …
Which decision
making,
communication,
and
behavioural
management
traits does he
display?
Final Task - Game Control
• For the remainder of the lesson, and as a home learning task, please
complete the skills and qualities table that has been provided (or on Teams)
Skill / Quality
Justification
How would this be developed?
Working knowledge of the In football, IFAB are adapting the
sport’s rules
rules and laws regularly. This
could be a massive law change
(VAR), or simply interpretation
(handball)
Pre-season briefings as well as
refreshers courses offered by
NGBs
Excellent communication
skills
Courses are unlikely to be
available on this - the best way is
to practice communication skills
in setting with players and
coaches and discuss to help
understanding.
An official who has little focus on
this aspect will only progress to a
certain level even of they have
technical ability. At some point an
official must relate to the feelings
of a contest and be able to react
appropriately.
Lesson 7 Outcomes
Students will …
• Consider different situations where officials are required to
apply the rules and regulations within a sport
• Discuss and explain the skills required to be an effective official,
whilst applying to sporting contexts
Learning Aim B:
Explore the performance of
officials in a selected sport
Lesson 8 – Analysing officials in different sports
Lesson 8 Outcomes
Students will …
• Brainstorm the elements of officials’ performance that be
assessed
• Create a performance analysis tool to assess the performance
of an official or set of officials for a particular sport
Starter …
Thinking of all sports, what can be
assessed as part of an officials’
performance …?
Assessment of Officials
• Communication
• Positioning (field
mechanics)
• Interaction with players &
coaches
• Fitness levels (court
coverage)
• Performing under pressure
• Accuracy
• Consistency
• Mental toughness
• Professionalism
• Appearance
• Knowledge of rules
• Vision
• Control of game
• Decision Making
• Rule interpretation
• Concentration
• Experience
Select 8 of these
assessment topics that are
relevant to an official in
your sport, and rank them
in order of importance to
that role
Aspect
Referee Score (1-8)
Communication
2
Fitness
3
Knowledge of Rules
1
Experience
5
Decision Making
7
Methods of Analysis
• An officials’ performance can be assessed in many ways
• The purpose is to identify strengths and areas for
improvement
• Certain tools can be used to help with this process including:
• Observation
• Video analysis
• Notational analysis
• Performance profiling
Observation
Observation:
• Elite-level officials are assessed by
experienced officials or ex-officials
• These will be appointed by the NGB
• End result will usually be a report to provide
feedback to the individual being observed
https://docs.google.com/document/
d/1I8XmMj9_WEfteNoLeSq8VnXy6
zJovKfkz45W6YlCVZ4/edit
Video Analysis
• Recordings of games allows the
opportunity to go back over
decisions, positioning and other
elements of performance using an
objective record. This can be put
into slow-motion and freeze frame
to highlight specific areas.
Notational Analysis
• Can be useful to
analyse movement
during a game or the
number of a particular
decision that has been
given
• Number of cards over
a period in comparison
to colleagues is an
example of notational
analysis
Methods of
Analysis
Performance Profiling:
• A tool that allows analysis of all performance
demands and can be presented in different
ways
• Technical skills, tactical awareness, physical
capacity and psychological factors can all be
assessed
Purpose is to:
• Help the official with their psychological
needs
• Improve motivation and performance with
visual aid
• Monitor development over time
Methods of Analysis Task
Firstly, your challenge is to create a template from two of the
four discussed previously …
• What are you looking to analyse?
• How will it be presented?
• How usable is the data/information and visual presentation
for the official?
• Consider how user-friendly the tool will be to complete in
real-time as a game is happening
• Once you have done this, you will then complete an
analysis of an official from your sport
• Watch 10 minutes of a game and complete your analysis
tool(s)
Lesson 8 Outcomes
Students will …
• Brainstorm the elements of officials’ performance that be
assessed
• Create a performance analysis tool to assess the performance
of an official or set of officials for a particular sport
Learning Aim B:
Explore the performance of
officials in a selected sport
Lesson 9 – Analysing officials in different sports
Lesson 9 Outcomes
Students will …
• Develop their understanding of development tools used in
observing officials
• Perform a SWOT analysis on the officials that they observed
during the home learning task
Starter …
1. What does ‘SWOT’ analysis mean?
2. List the four methods of analysis that can be used when
monitoring officiate performance …
3. Provide one element of performance that can be monitored
and explain why it is important within an officials’ repertoire …
SWOT Analysis – Identifying Strengths
and Areas for Improvement
• Strengths – Noted during performance against a
set criteria or competencies/standard (e.g. clear
and effective verbal communication)
• Weaknesses – Along with data or visual support,
competencies are dissected and plans put in place
to develop (e.g. game control)
• Opportunities – Observer can provide sources of
new information or developmental tools that the
official can utilise to improve (e.g. new course)
Strengths
Weaknesses
SWOT
• Threats – Observer should identify any short- or
long-term threats to the performance of the official
(e.g. inability to control emotions)
Opportunities
Threats
SWOT Analysis Task
Task …
Using the template provided, complete a
SWOT of your chosen officials …
• Research key competencies for officials
Strengths
Weaknesses
in you sport
• What opportunities are there for officials
to develop?
SWOT
• What might be considered as threats for
an official based on the level they
officiate at?
Opportunities
Threats
Methods for Future Development
• Very dependent upon the level that the official is working at
• Certain sports are global and can operate development at that
level whereas other sports are not so popular and are very
limited in their development offerings
• E.g. Football can offer a lot more in terms of courses, podcasts,
literature, CPD, mentoring systems and video analysis – this is
commensurate based off of the number of officials and demand
for these offerings
Methods for Future Development
Other forms …
• Practice – Officiating in
more games to improve
familiarity
• Training – Regular courses
ran to update knowledge
and keep applied practice
fresh
• Qualifications – Can be
costly but an effective
method of development
** Task – For a sport of your choice, research the
different qualification levels on offer from the NGB … **
Methods for Future Development
Other forms …
• Self-analysis – Reflective practice of
oneself. Vital that reflections are
honest and identify ways to improve
• Mentoring – Support of a more
experienced practitioner to aid
development
• Buddy system – Less formal form of
mentoring. Pair up and offer advice.
This can be less formal and more
supportive/less stressful
Lesson 9 Outcomes
Students will …
• Develop their understanding of development tools used in
observing officials
• Perform a SWOT analysis on the officials that they observed
during the home learning task
Learning Aim B:
Explore the performance of
officials in a selected sport
Lesson 10 – Assignment Workshop
Lesson 10 Outcomes
Students will …
• Build their assignment using independent study and research
materials and tools developed in class
Key Aspects/Qualities
Section 1 - Qualities of an Official
• Communication
• Positioning (field
mechanics)
Complete this section using the 9 aspects you have
already chosen as important for your official. You will
need to:
• Provide a detailed justification for each aspect as to
why you think it is important for the official
• And give each aspect a ranking of 1-9 relative to how
important you think it is for the official
• Interaction with
players & coaches
• Fitness levels (court
coverage)
• Performing under
pressure
Example
Aspect / Quality
• Accuracy
Justification
Rank
• Consistency
• Mental toughness
Knowledge of the In football, IFAB are adapting the rules and laws regularly. This could
sport’s rules
be a massive law change (VAR), or simply interpretation (handball).
The referee needs to be aware of this so they can apply the rule in
the most appropriate way and make correct decision on the field.
Communication
skills
A referee who does not focus on this aspect will only progress to a
certain level, even if they have strong technical ability and good
knowledge of the rules. The referee needs to relate to the feelings of
a contest and be able to react appropriately to manage situations
effectively.
• Professionalism
2
• Appearance
• Knowledge of rules
• Control of game
• Decision Making
5
• Rule interpretation
• Concentration
• Experience
Types of Issues
Section 2 - Officiating Situations
• Illegal position
For this section, complete 5 officiating situations for your chosen official, using some
of the work you have already produced in a previous lesson. You will need to:
•
•
•
Provide a full detailed description of each situation
State the type of issue the situation has brought about using sports specific
terminology
Detail the action required by the official and what decision should be made,
including any punishments that need to be handed out
Aim to find a picture
of each of your
officiating
situations to
support your
explanation
• Illegal
move/manoeuvre
• Dangerous/reckless
play
• Simulation/diving
• Unsporting
behaviour/conduct
• Violent conduct
Example
Sport
Situation
Type of Issue
Action Required
• Foul/abusive
language
Football
A player offside is deemed to be in an
offside position when an attacking
player plays the ball forward
The player is in an
illegal position
The referee should award a free-kick to the defending
team
• Time Wasting
A defending player makes contact with
an attacking player while they are
jumping in the air to claim the ball
This is categorised
as dangerous or
reckless play
Rugby
• Serious Foul Play
The referee should award a penalty to the attacking team
and the player who made the tackle should receive a
yellow card (10 minute sin-bin). This may be upgraded to a
red through the ‘bunker system if the Television Match
Official believes it serious enough
Basketball
An attacking player maintains position
in the ‘key’ for more than 3 seconds
The player is in an
illegal position
Referee calls a violation and offers the ball out of bounds
to the opposition
Boxing
A boxer punches their opponent below
the waistline (also called ‘below the
belt’)
This is an illegal
move/strike
The referee calls out the violator and may: warn them,
deduct a point from them or disqualify them. Dependent on
how serious the rule breach was or for repeated offending.
The boxer struck may be given an extended period of timeout to recover.
• Persistent
infringement
• Entering play
without permission
• Denying a scoring
opportunity
• Provocative or
inflammatory
behaviour
Section 3 - Behaviour Management
For this section, discuss the 5 behaviour management styles that an
official might use to successfully deal with situations that arise in a match.
You will need to:
• Provide a full detailed description of each style and how it works
• Describe a situation in your sport where the style might be used, and
state what the official might say to deal with the situation effectively in
the desired way and why this might work?
Style
Forcing
Collaborating
Compromising
Avoiding
Accommodating
Description of Style
Example situation and what the
official might say - and why?
Examples of things an
official might do and say
• Forcing – No
discussion, decision
made.
• Collaborating –
Engaging with a
captain to manage
their player
• Compromising –
Offer and give and
take. “You play, I’ll
referee …”
• Avoiding – Turns a
blind eye but makes
a mental note for
later
• Accommodating –
“Thank you, you
have had your say –
let’s play on!
Section 4 - Observation Analysis
Observation:
• Elite-level officials are assessed by experienced officials or
ex-officials
• These will be appointed by the NGB
• They will observe a match official's performance based
around a set criteria which has been passed by the
governing body
• An Observer provides vital insight into a match official’s
performance both on and off the field
• End result will usually be a report to provide feedback to
the individual being observed
• This observation enables the governing body to formulate
tailored professional development, structured development
events and to have open discussion with our match
officials.
Copy and paste your observation
form into the assignment
document
Lesson 10 Outcomes
Students will …
• Build their assignment using independent study and research
materials and tools developed in class
Learning Aim C:
Undertake the role of a match
official in a competitive sport
Lesson 11 – Final assessment preparation
Learning Aim C – Undertake the role of a
match official in a competitive sport
• C.P4 – Perform two officiate roles in a selected sport, applying rules, laws and
regulations in a competitive practice correctly
• C.P5 – Review own performance in officiating in a selected sport, using two
assessment methods, identifying skills gained
• C.M3 – Perform two officiate roles in a selected sport, applying the rules, laws
and regulations appropriately and accurately in a competitive situation
• C.M4 – Assess own performance, identify strengths and areas for improvement,
using feedback from others and two different assessment methods
• C.D3 – Evaluate own performance, strengths and areas for improvement, using
feedback from others and two different assessment methods to recommend
improvements for personal development
Lesson 11 Outcomes
Students will …
• Create a plan for how to complete Learning Aim C
The Assignment – Practical
Component
C.P4 – Perform two officiate roles in a
selected sport, applying rules, laws and
regulations in a competitive practice correctly
C.M3 – Perform two officiate roles in a
selected sport, applying the rules, laws and
regulations appropriately and accurately in
a competitive situation
• A small-sided football tournament or
competitive fixture will be organised where
you will officiate on two different occasions
in two different roles. You will be assessed
on your ability to apply the rules, laws and
regulations of that sport …
• Two methods of analysis (at your
request/choice) will be used to aid your
reflections and development as an official
(and to write the reflective component of
the assignment)
The Assignment – Reflective
Component
C.P5 – Review own performance in
officiating in a selected sport, using two
assessment methods, identifying skills
gained
C.M4 – Assess own performance, identify
strengths and areas for improvement,
using feedback from others and two
different assessment methods
C.D3 – Evaluate own performance,
strengths and areas for improvement,
using feedback from others and two
different assessment methods to
recommend improvements for personal
development
Using the template and analysis/feedback
from your officiate activity, perform
reflections and write a summative account
of the following …
• Strengths
• Areas for improvements
• Development plan
** The areas above will need to be
compared against the key officiating
requirements or skills **
Key Officiating Requirements
These are the attributes/skills that you will be assessed against in
your performance.
• Application of rules
• Game management
• Scoring
• Health and safety
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
Lesson 11 Outcomes
Students will …
• Create a plan for how to complete Learning Aim C