Question Number: 25587

Character, Attitude and Control 10/11/2011

RE: High School

Daniel Brett of Cincinnati, OH United States asks...

Are there consequences if a referee if found to have purposefully falsified information in a game report? example - coach yells, 'hey ref that's a $#%@! terrible call!' Referee shows red for foul and abusive language and the coach leaves the game field without further incident. In the game report, referee writes 'Coach used foul and abusive language to protest a call and then said he would be going directly from the field to go burn down my house.'

An extreme and absurd example, but you get my point. Let's say video evidence exists of the entire exchange. Does the coach have recourse? Are there potential penalties for the official?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Daniel
Every disciplinary decision made can be challenged by requesting a personal hearing with the exception of a caution. Any disciplinary suspension made can also be appelaed to a higher authority.
I would be surprised if NFHS does not operate a similar system.
In the case of a referee making untrue statements about an event that would be a very serious matter. Referees operate to a code which must be followed and any referee found to have breached that code would be censured heavily. Reports should be accurate as to what transpired. I might point out that embellishing a report would change very little except for very serious accusations. Those accusation could also be challenged legally and must stand up to the scrutiny.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

There usually are more than one member of the referee team. When the disciplinary committee for a league receives a match report from the referee that contradicts the statements/video from the club, it is not unusual for the disciplinary committee to get information from the other referees at the match.

If the league's disciplinary committee believes the referee intentionally miss wrote a report, they likely would refer the matter to the referee association and that there would be an ethics hearing for the referee.