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By Derek Craddock

SUPPORT FOR OFFICIALS

Addressing referee abuse: Should officials in Sask. use bodycams during games?

Sep 29, 2023 | 6:00 AM

It’s being called a crisis in organized sports in Canada as more referees appear to be losing their passion for sport due to ongoing abuse.

But could one solution to the problem be using bodycams during games?

That was a question that came to the attention of Ontario Soccer as they reviewed their registration numbers from before COVID-19 hit to after restrictions were fully lifted. The numbers were very encouraging for players, but not so for referees.

“It was shockingly low and we started to compare that with our friends in other sports, hockey and basketball and other team sports and they were reporting the exact same thing,” said CEO of Ontario Soccer, John Misley.

According to an article published by the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) in March, hockey and soccer officials were leaving the sports in large numbers.

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Using data from Fitz-Gerald, the SIRC noted that Hockey Canada saw a drop from 33,000 officials pre-pandemic to 16,000 post-pandemic.

Ontario Soccer saw a huge drop as well from 8,500 referees in 2019 to almost 4,900 last year.

Misley has been with Ontario Soccer since 2015. His career has taken him through organizations like BC Hockey, Hockey Canada, and the WHL where he served as Assistant Coach of the Victoria Cougars in the late 80s.

Speaking to paNOW, Misley said they tried to understand why there was such a massive drop in those who wanted to officiate.

“The number one reason, based on our surveying of referees that left the game was because of referee abuse,” he said. “The pandemic gave them a chance to be idle for a period of time and that it was nice not to be criticized in some cases verbally and in some unfortunate situations physically assaulted.”

The SIRC studied data from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, which surveyed 19,000 referees in the United States. Its survey found that 55 per cent of those referees claimed verbal abuse was a big factor in them leaving their respective sport. About 59 per cent of officials said they didn’t feel respected by parents or fans, and 42 per cent felt sports organizations didn’t do enough to address the abuse.

Ontario Soccer sought to find a way to remedy the situation. That’s where the idea of bodycams surfaced after seeing a similar project carried out by the English Football Association (FA).

The pilot project will run in Ontario through the end of the outdoor soccer season next month and likely continue into the indoor season this winter.

Misley said that as they are still collecting data for the project along with Brock University in St. Catherines, Ont., they haven’t had conversations with other provinces yet on whether the project can work for them.

“We’re going to provide some reports and then share that report not only with the U.K. but also with anybody here in Canada so they can review it and consider what they may or may not want to do with it.”

paNOW reached out to Saskatchewan Soccer and Hockey Saskatchewan inquiring about whether bodycams for referees have ever been discussed.

Kelly McClintock, the GM for Hockey Saskatchewan said in an email that there have never been any discussions on the matter, adding “With so many facilities now having video services such as Live Barn there is no need for body cams.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan Soccer said the organization is currently not working on a project to arm referees with body cams.

“We are in constant contact with our peer member associations and do monitor the issues and projects that they are working to address for potential deployment here in Sask. We are aware of the project and will monitor the outcomes as we normally would,”

A request for comment was also submitted to Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Parks, Recreation, and Sport.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com