Question Number: 12765

Character, Attitude and Control 5/9/2006

RE: Competative Under 14

Tony Sweeney of Hartlepool, England asks...

This question is a follow up to question 12202

The word bias isn't used often on this site. But a match involving my son was the nearest to it. We were playing our nearest rivals for the league title. We needed a draw to clinch it, and they had to win. After they had, luckily, went in front he never gave us one decision, but the icing on the cake was saved for the end. We won a corner, but as the ball was halfway across he blew his whistle. On all our watches he was at least 90 seconds short of the stoppage time. Is this cheating at its worst?? He had the cheek to threaten misconduct charges against anybody who challenged his "Integrity"

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Tony we don't mention bias here because we believe in the integrity of referees. Granted, in very few cases this is a stretch of the imagination. Perhaps it was as you say, perhaps not.

To determine if this referee was bias you must have detailed knowledge of when he ends every match. Some referees have not yet understood the concept of waiting for a neutral moment to blow for time. If this referee ended things when his watch beeped and does so in every case then he is not bias, he is just exact in his timing.

Another thing to consider Tony is this simple fact. The referee is the sole time keeper in the match. When time is up for him he signals. Is it possible full time arrived and he turned away from the corner kick and blew not knowing, or caring, where the ball was?

We will usually side with the referee, we do so because we were not there to see for ourselves and it is his match, his decision and his reputation. Because he, in your eyes, didn't do well he is a biased referee. I wonder what the other side's supporters think?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The referee can end the game whenever time is up. The only time the game must extend is to complete a PK. It is within the referees right to end the game during or before a corner kick if game time and stoppage time has expired. You need more facts to determine if this referee was being bias. As Always

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Tony. Almost all referees are unbiased. Does bias sometimes occur? Sure it does, but what's bias to you is probably seen as a well refereed game by the opponents. On this site, we assume the referee is unbiased. If this referee deliberately ended the game early to prevent your team from getting a corner kick off, he's biased. But we don't know that. We weren't there and we don't know how this referee usually decides when the game has ended. I'll tell you something someone far wiser than me said, "referees don't influence the game, players do". A referee gives a pk and a team loses 1-0 but they conveniently forget the 12 shots on goal they missed. Everytime I hear that a referee "cost" someone a game, I ask them how many shots they missed, how many times were they offside, how many passes were muffed, how many times did a defender miss an assignment. Always, the players mistakes will make any referee mistakes seem small. That said, if true bias exists, that referee should be ashamed and drummed out of business.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Tony
whether you truly believe what you say or whether we do is not at issue. However, in this we are in complete agreement yes? ANY individual who deliberately sets out to mess up another and make biased decisions out of spite is pathetic beyond description

Your opinion is your opinion.

To say that a referee cheated is a HUGE accusation. Yes it does on occasion happen USUALLY for LARGE sums of money or so I am told but WHY would a referee cheat at a kids GAME?

To say a referee performed in your opinion poorly is possible as there are varying degrees of accountability within the broad range of a experience an individual referee might have. When you see a referee having a less than stellar performance remember it is you who are biased as the needs of a result are NOT one a referee requires. Your team does.
So ANYTHING which jeopardises that possibility is not going to be viewed dispassionately is it now? Still there is nothing to prevent you from
Record the incidents! what you saw not conjecture,
Report the incidents !to appropriate league disciplinary
Review the incident! from other perspectives.
IF a referee feels those individuals who dissent or abuse him are not acting in a reasonable manner as the best interest of the game and require a written submission of events it is not cheeky it is EXPECTED. Just as I, as a referee would report the unreasonable behaviour of a coach, player or fan we are not exempt from being thought of in the same manner.

A very good referee friend of mine ENDURED a witch hunt recently because he was assigned a match where the team involved had a constant historical theme of screaming abusive behaviour in previous matches. He was experienced, well versus on the laws and their application. A sturdy by the book character with backbone and integrity. So when he demanded the teams playing abide by the laws of the game it caught them by surprise. Most referees were young and at the u-12 level could be easily intimidated but here was a different match condition. A referee who knew not only what he was doing but why it was necessary for those participating to know what they were doing. In point of fact they did not. They tried subbing improperly, they whined on no calls and calls that went against them. They were surprised when the players who followed suit imitating the conduct and attitude of the parents and coaching staff were cautioned and the coaches told they either act responsible or leave the field. They thought that to fix equipment it was OK to do so on the field AFTER the players were told to leave the field by the referee. So the coaches said it was OK the referee cautions and the players upset cry now it is the big bad referee telling them what to do when the coach and parents said it was not a big deal. Well it turned into a big deal because this group of FUN loving soccer seekers felt this referee was terrible and should be banned from refereeing so they Recorded and Reported as is the right of any who perceive injustice! Yet when all was said and done and the REVIEW came on in they suddenly found that every decision the referee took was scribed in absolute law and filled with the spirit of the game. So rather than ban this referee the league could now focus on banning a group who CONSTANTLY harass the officials game after game!

I have refereed thousands of matches! I have never cheated! EVER!! but there are those who will still point the finger and say oh yes I did from THEIR perspective what else could it possibly be?
A genuine mistake by me?
Very possible!
Too misinformed to understand what they thought they saw?
Very probable!
An inability to agree to disagree for the good of the game?
All too often!

So those who are upset and feel the need to vent or express outrage on the site generally get a cool reception. Not because we think you do not feel what you feel but because we are also certain of what we KNOW and feel about ourselves .
No referee is immune from a poor decision or even getting angry at those who give him stick if he feels hard done by that is part and parcel of having a backbone and the character to not permit the personalization's of ones integrity be compromised.

I have reviewed referee performances and seen the exact same things you are upset about but in no cases did the referee deliberately cheat. In the post game I asked what watch he used as my stopwatch showed almost 2 minutes left he had on a minute hand watch he said we were playing 35 minute halves and it was 5 minutes to to 2 PM so he stopped at 2:30 by his watch. AS referee he was the official time keeper but I suggested a better watch.

On a ball headed INTO the goal not a corner cross. The whistle went just slightly ahead of the ball CROSSING the goal line. The referee was looking at his watch rather than the play. No GOAL large dissent, protest filed. AS referee he was the official time keeper the decision stood. I suggested there are less controversial ways of ending a match and time is rarely to the millisecond BUT it is as unfair to defend for a longer time as it is to have time cut short!

The attacking team on a breakaway, keeper dives out, great save, ball deflects way out side the field. The attacking team, rather than hurry to retrieve the ball was arguing about who would go get the ball that was out of play. Finally one walked over to retrieve it, walked back and set the ball on the arc. Then another attacker came over and decided he should take the kick . Guess what? time ended before they even took the kick ! What that is not fair was the cry. Hey fellas I was already in extra time during that breakaway if you had rushed to set up and go I might have let you get it into play but you took your sweet time ! Sometimes thems the breaks
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

My only comment to add is: It's a serious thing to know the heart of a person. To really know what they are thinking is reserved for a Greater Being than any of us. And, based on your description, there seems to be a lot of assumptions being made based on your own bias that referees are, themselves, out to "get you."