Football Australia calls for respect for officials in wake of growing referee abuse

February 13, 2024

In response to a growing wave of abuse and disrespect towards referees at all levels of the game, Football Australia Chief Executive James Johnson has called for greater levels of respect for officials and a recognition of impacts on their safety.

Johnson made his comments in the wake of Western Sydney Wanderers Chairman and Australian Professional Leagues (APL) Director having entered the field of play to launch a verbal tirade at referee Shaun Evans after Sunday’s game between the Wanderers and the Newcastle Jets at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

This came a week after the Wanderers’ defeat to Macarthur FC, following which coach Marko Rudan physically confronted referee Adam Kersey then attacked his integrity during his post-match press conference, claiming his club had a “stigma” that was contributing towards perceived inconsistencies in decision-making.

While Football Australia has yet to make a ruling on these incidents, Johnson today advised that “we remain steadfast in our commitment to the core values of safety, respect, and well-being for all participants in our sport. The incidents involving the conduct towards match officials during A-Leagues' matches this season underscore a broader challenge within our football community.”

Johnson (pictured below) asserted "every individual, from grassroots volunteers to professional players and match officials, deserves to participate in football in a safe and respectful environment.

"The behaviour under scrutiny goes against the values of the sport. Abuse or misconduct towards any of our staff or officials is unacceptable and contradicts the spirit of football. We have a zero-tolerance policy and are dedicated to creating a positive experience for all."

Highlighting a significant challenge, Johnson advised of a concerning trends among match officials, stating "annually, we lose 40% of our registered match officials, which translates to around 4,200 individuals leaving their roles at all levels of the game. Despite the growing participation in football and the success of our national teams, our base of 11,000 officials has not expanded since 2011.”

Johnson explained that one of the most significant factors contributing to this loss is the negative experiences officials face - from parents, coaches, fans and players - adding "this environment is unsustainable and contradicts everything we stand for. Our National Code of Conduct and Ethics, which applies across all levels of the game, is designed to combat such challenges, ensuring that football in Australia is enjoyable and safe for everyone involved.”

Speaking in support of Johnson, the APL’s Independent Chair, Stephen Conroy commented “the APL supports Football Australia’s call for a unified stand for respect and safety across Australian football.

"Match officials play a vital role in all levels of football and APL is committed to working to improve the culture surrounding them at the League level.”

Beyond on-field abuse, the Sydney Morning Herald reported of the instance of one angry fan who called a referee at work to abuse him.

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