This article is from page 79 of the 2011-12-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 79 JPG
CALLS for Clare GAA administrators to come down hard on clubs and individuals who abuse referees will be sounded out at this Thursday night’s Clare GAA Convention, with the Clare Referees Administration Committee leading the charge against the perpetrators of abuse.
The report submitted to the Convention by the referee’s body says that “the abuse of referees has to be severely dealt with at all times and all our referees have to be protected and get the support they deserve”.
In returning to a theme that has been familiar to Convention in recent times, the report says that the scourge of abuse comes between the committee and the recruitment of new referees.
“This is an area I have great concern over, because when we manage to get a group of candidates in a room to do the foundation course and have completed it, on every occasion we find that all our efforts count for naught as a result of abuse,” it says.
“Everyone wants a referee for their game, but no one gives the beginner a chance to develop. The referee is expected to know all the rules from the very first game he does, and there is very little tolerance for mistakes.
“The abuse factor has an even deeper knock-on effect because as referees administrator for the county and charged with responsibility of recruitment of new referees, it has become increasingly more difficult to convince someone to become a knight of the whistle.
“The amount of abuse being di rected at new referees in games is seriously damaging our effectiveness in recruiting referees and is turning them away from refereeing. We have some very competent referees in Clare and they can hold their own with the best in the country.
“We also have some referees in our ranks at the moment, who are showing good potential and everything should be done to allow these to develop and progress to the stage where we will be able to avail of their services right across the whole spectrum of refereeing in Clare.”
Continuing, the report says, “The promotion of refereeing and recruitment throughout the county has come a long way over the past number of years. This needs to be broadened and developed more and the members of the County Executive have a major role to play in this.
“I firmly believe that there are lots more potential referees in the county if they were given the right signals and encouragement.
“It is most important that the perpetrators of the abuse of referees are dealt with in a manner, which will clearly show that this will not be tolerated at any level and I appeal to all clubs, team coaches and supporters to give the ref a chance.”
In 2011 the Clare Referees Administration Committee consisted of five members – County Administrator and chairman Ger Hoey, Michael O’Regan, Michael McGann, Ger Lyons and Seanie McMahon.