The NERFU Board and Disciplinary Committee have encountered a measurable increase in reports of referee abuse by players and spectators during NERFU matches and events. Referee abuse is never okay; never appropriate; and never acceptable. Not only is it a violation of the Laws of the game, but it also violates the spirit of the game and something that sets rugby apart from other sports. Respect for match officials is paramount and the importance of it cannot be overstated.
To be clear: referee abuse will not be tolerated in any aspect of the game, from any NERFU player, coach, or spectator. All referee abuse should be immediately reported to the NERFU Discipline Committee by emailing discipline@nerfu.rugby.
Please carefully review the below USA Rugby guidelines related to referee abuse. NERFU will strictly enforce this policy. Sanctions for referee abuse by any player, coach, or spectator can include, among other things:
- Red cards – including heightened suspensions for players
- Restricted allocations – loss of referees for matches
- NERFU probation
- Technical zones for matches – restricted viewing areas for spectators, or ejection of spectators from the match area
- Match consequences, including forfeits
Each team is responsible for the conduct of its own fans and spectators.
The New England Rugby Referee Society (NERRS) welcomes clubs to complete their referee feedback form so any concerns are heard. Including videos of matches especially helps in referee coaching and development.
Please help us all keep rugby a safe, fun, and welcoming sport by treating match officials with respect.
USA RUGBY 2023-2024 REFEREE ABUSE POLICY AND GUIDELINES
Referee Abuse Policy and Guidelines
The Referee Abuse Policy and Guidelines document is provided to USA Rugby membership in order to define Referee Abuse. USA Rugby recognizes that addressing Referee Abuse will assist with referee recruitment and retention at the local and entry level. The growth of Rugby in the United States is constrained by the number of Referees available and interested in performing this role, so as it follows, it is imperative that USA Rugby address a barrier or hardship involved in the growth of the referee community and each individual referee. As the role is one that takes years of practice, study, and commitment, the treatment of Referees by the players, coaches, administrators should be supportive of one another that serve the principles of the game and in a respectful manner.
“Match Official” means the center referee, any Assistant Referee (AR), any #4 appointed by the Local Society or Match Organizer, and/or any Field Marshal, charged with policing abuse of the referees.
POLICY:
Referee Abuse – Application:
For the purpose of this policy, abuse is any conduct that falls under World Rugby Law 9, subsections 12, 27, and 28, governing verbal and physical abuse, acts contrary to good sportsmanship, and respecting the authority of the Match Official. The scope of this policy expressly extends this standard beyond participating players to include coaches, administrators, player reserves, medical personnel, photographers, or other persons allowed inside the playing enclosure or technical zones.
Definition:
Referee Abuse includes, but is not limited to:
- Any intentional, but nonconsensual, contact with any Match Official;
- Verbal and nonverbal communication which contains foul or abusive language or which implies or directly threatens physical harm or injury of any sort to any Match Official;
- Any threat of damage to or damage to a Match Official’s personal property;
- Repeated instance of on-field player dissent (as defined in the World Rugby Laws); Repeated questioning of calls during ongoing match play, whether to the center referee or to an AR, by those otherwise permitted to be in the playing enclosure (replacements, coaches, trainers, e.g.). Only individuals who may raise questions with calls are head coaches and captains. Questions should be posed in a respectful manner directly to the center referee. A captain may politely speak to a Match Official during a match; a coach may politely speak to a Match Official before and after the match;
- After being warned, as provided in this rule, any failure of any player, coach, administrator, medical and support personnel, or fan to immediately leave the playing enclosure or technical zone on the request of any Match Official;
- Sexual or violent gestures and/or kicking or throwing objects in response to the Match Officials’ call, non-call, or other action in officiating the match.
Referee abuse is not limited to on-pitch behavior:
- Abuse may happen at any time that the Match Official is acting in their duties, and may include arriving to and leaving the Match location.
- Abuse may happen may through questioning/impugning honesty/integrity of match officials away from pitch.
Referee Protocol in handling Referee Abuse
As outlined in the Game Management Guidelines, upon recognizing Referee Abuse, the Match Official may penalize a player or issue a card to the players.
For Referee Abuse involving coaches, reserve players, or those who are along the sidelines (not within the stands of a stadium setting) who are observed or perceived to commit abuse against Match Officials, the following protocols should be followed:
- The Match Official will call time out and speak with the captain or the Head Coach, requesting that the offending individual(s) be addressed, to change behavior immediately, or will be ejected from the playing enclosure.
- Upon subsequent offense, the Match Official will call time-out and request that the offending individual(s) be removed from the playing enclosure.
- And in the event of a third offense from others, or if the offending individual(s) refuses to leave, the Match Official will abandon the match.
- Any match reporting required by the Referee Organization should require Match Officials to report the abuse in a manner that alerts Referee Organization leadership. If no match reporting is required by the Referee Organization, Match Officials should still provide documentation of the abuse in a timely manner, to the Referee Organization leadership, preferably within no more than 30 days following the event.
Referee Abuse Reporting Requirements
Referee Organizations are required to report to the Referee and Laws Committee all incidents of Referee Abuse and offenders must be cited using the formal process as outlined by the local Union, SRO, and USA Rugby Disciplinary Procedures. Additionally, Match Officials might choose to file a report of a crime to local authorities. If a Referee has concerns that Abuse is not appropriately handled, they can invoke a process through the RLC JO.
GUIDELINES:
Referee Societies and Unions should educate and promote a zero tolerance policy for referee abuse and are encouraged to address situations of referee abuse however they see fit.
There are various forms of sanctions that can be imposed. The following sanctions are available for any Society or Union to employ:
- Fines – Additional fines can be imposed.
- Restricted Allocations – Not providing referees
- Union Probations – Good standing within a union may be modified, suspended or withdrawn. For example, a Union may remove voting rights or full privileges of involvement in Union benefits or activities
- Additional referee allocations at the club’s expense (TO3) or Ref Coach fees – Society agrees to allocations however, will impose the fees and expenses associated with providing AR or Coaching observations
- Required footage for any future allocation – If footage isn’t provided, other sanctions may be imposed ● Adherence to Technical Zones for all matches – having a TZ policy may be beneficial to keep coaches and players in specific areas.
- Competitions/Conference organizers Forfeits – Conference/Match Organizers may also provide forfeits of matches where abuse is reported
- Awareness that Referees have the option to file a police report in the event of any physical or verbal abuse
Other workgroup requests of USA Rugby:
Reporting of Yellow / Red Cards and Abuse reports is needed in a national registry available in a secure manner to administrative club and union reps and officials.
Even better: once a Discipline system is made available, the restrictions on players can be imposed within a Competition Management System. (This would be considered highly sophisticated working software, and while SportsLomo attempted to promise this functionality, we have yet to see any reasonable delivery.)
