MX23RW : Saturday, May 4 07:07:25| >> :600:329672:329672:

Ambassador - BAME referees being "blocked" from progressing

The BAME ambassador for independent charity Ref Support UK says 'ghost observers' are needed to assess the assessors who control referee promotions.

Black referees are being blocked from climbing the league ladder by observers at county level, according to Ref Support UK's ambassador for black, Asian and minority ethnic officials.

Reuben Simon, a former non-league referee, believes this is due to overt racism or unconscious bias, with the only solution to use mystery shopper-style 'ghost observers' to assess the assessors.

Uriah Rennie was the last black referee to officiate in the higher reaches of the English game before retiring in 2009. There are no BAME referees currently working in the top four divisions, and only one in the National League.

"It's a myth that there's a lack of black referees – there are loads at grassroots level but they are not progressing up the pyramid," Simon told Press Association Sport.

Referee David Coote
Referee David Coote warms up in a Kick It Out t-shirt as part of a campaign that has raised awareness of racism in the game (Richard Sellers/PA)

"Why? They are being blocked. There is a ceiling for black referees and it is non-league.

"When a footballer is very good it's obvious and it's in the manager's interest to pick them. So even managers with racist views have picked black footballers.

"It's the same with salesmen. You might have a racist manager but he cannot say you're not a good salesman if you have the most sales. But decisions about referees are more subjective."

Simon, who tweets on refereeing issues at @radical_referee, explained that referees who reach the county level must be assessed by observers if they want to climb the ranks.

"These observers will almost always be white chaps of a particular age," he said.

"Nothing wrong with that and most try to be as fair as possible. But there is also no question there is a lot of unconscious bias in the ratings."

Simon, who reached the level just below the National League before retiring in 2014, said he has given the Football Association a solution to this problem.

"They need to go back through the Match Official Administration System, which is where all the assessments are logged, and analyse the data," he said.

"They should look for assessors who, on average, give black referees worse marks than white refs.

"Now, let's pretend that every black ref is rubbish – it's possible, not probable – but let's check that by sending out a ghost observer to the same games as those assessors who give black refs poor marks. And let's do it a few times, just to make sure."

Simon denied there would be any issues with data protection rules – an excuse which has been given for not taking his advice – and said identities would be protected and any observer proven to be unfair on BAME referees would be given a chance to address their actions.

Asked why BAME referees are not applying to become observers themselves, Simon said: "Because they think the system is broken. The solution is to get black refs up the ladder – it's not rocket science and there is a solution."

Sian Massey
The FA has been trying to increase the number of BAME and female referees since 2012, with Sian Massey being the most high-profile example of the latter (Adam Davy/PA)

The FA is well aware of the issue and in 2012 launched the 'Widening the Net' initiative to increase the number of BAME officials.

At the time, the national governing body estimated that only four per cent of its 28,000 registered referees were BAME and it set a target of reaching 10 per cent by 2016.

Progress has been made but the target was missed and Simon believes the current figure is around nine per cent.

In a statement released to PA Sport, an FA spokesperson said: "The FA recognises the value of a diverse group of referees and we continue to offer support and development opportunities for referees from all backgrounds and across all levels of the game.

"The face of refereeing is continually changing and becoming a better representation of the football community.

"We see a rise in the number of women and BAME referees in English football and we encourage people of all backgrounds to join the refereeing community."

The professional game is also taking steps to address the situation. The Premier League recently agreed to work with the organisation that provides its referees, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, on a BAME scheme.

A PGMOL spokesperson told PA Sport: "We are committed to working with the FA to provide better opportunities to referees from different backgrounds, and we welcome the recent offer from the Premier League to support the development of a BAME refereeing programme.

"During this process we will consult with a range of stakeholders from refereeing bodies and wider football, and will of course seek to draw on the experiences of current and former BAME referees."

Share this article now:
Tottenham Hotspur full-back Danny Rose in action during his side's Premier League clash with Leicester on February 9, 2019
Read Next:
Danny Rose slams leniency of Montenegro punishment for racist abuse
>

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Select and display your favourite team's news and scores in this panel

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Select and display your favourite team's news and scores in this panel
Premier League
Scottish Premiership
La Liga
Bundesliga
Serie A
Ligue 1
Primeira Liga
League One
League Two
Scottish Championship
Scottish League One
Scottish League Two
Turkish Super Lig
Greek Superleague
Swedish Allsvenskan
Norwegian Eliteserien
Russian Premier League
Swiss Super League
Ukrainian Premier League
Segunda Division
2.Bundesliga
Serie B
Ligue 2
Major League Soccer
Brasileiro
Uruguayan Primera Division
Chinese Super League
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City36302490226892
2Liverpool36287184206491
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs362311265362970
4Chelsea36208860392168
5Arsenal362061069492066
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd36198964511365
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36159124644254
8Everton37158145244853
9Leicester CityLeicester36156155147451
10Watford36148145152-150
11West Ham UnitedWest Ham36137164554-946
12Crystal Palace36127174348-543
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle36119163645-942
14Bournemouth36126185265-1342
15Burnley37117194465-2140
16Southampton36911164461-1738
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton3698193355-2235
18Cardiff CityCardiff3694233066-3631
RFulham3675243476-4226
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield3635282074-5414

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

Select and display your favourite team's news and scores in this panel
Login, I already have my ad-free pass
Log in to customise Sports Mole
Buy ad-free access (show me the options)
Buy monthly ad-free access for Β£1.20/month
Buy yearly ad-free access for Β£12 (2 months free)
Settings - Logout - Manage your account
Settings - Logout - Manage your account