JUNE NEWSLETTER 2022

Hello friends,

Clare O'Neill's 17-year-old son lodged a complaint with the local footy association after the abuse he received umpiring a local grassroots game. 

After officiating in his 50th match (without the fanfare of a banner to run through like a player would), Clare wrote about the difficult task of recalling and writing up a list of all the moments of abuse in the game, submitting and then presenting to the tribunal. This isn't easy for young umpires... and parents of umpires have put up with it for too long. 

Match officials are often in a precarious position, without the backing of teammates or local club leadership, they're vulnerable to attacks from unhinged fans and parents who have been culturally conditioned to hate them. 

Respect is respect. Abuse is disrespectful. Zero tolerance is the game. 

As match officials continue to turn their backs on the game they love, many clubs and associations are searching for ways to do more to protect umpires and referees from abuse. 

Dr. Tom Webb, author and leading academic in the push to end abuse of match officials, speaks with Patrick Skene for our Global Resistance series and provides valuable insights on what's happening around the world and what sports clubs and associations can do to reverse this unwanted cultural phenomenon. 

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We've had a great month of exposure on our Club Respect social media accounts and encourage you to like and follow. 

The top posts (shown below) demonstrate the absurdity of sideline abuse on one hand and then the joy of umpire respect on the other.

Share these posts on your clubs social media pages (including facebook) and via your club e-Newsletters. 

Tarik Bayrakli
Manager, Club Respect 

GLOBAL RESISTANCE SERIES

Global resistance to referee abuse: Dr. Tom Webb (U.K.) | Club Respect
Interview with Patrick Skene

"We seem to have moved towards this dichotomy where it's acceptable for players and coaches and managers to make errors during the course of the game, but it's not acceptable for officials. Why is that?"

TOP POSTS ON CR SOCIALS

CLUB RESPECT TOOLS

CR Tips for The Supporter | Club Respect

Club Respect places a 'right actions' lens over each role in the club. Print out all 8 info sheets and hand them out to your club members. This month we feature 'The Supporter'.

We respectfully acknowledge the wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their custodianship of the lands and waterways.