Referee Abuse Policy and Guidelines

The Referee Abuse Policy and Guidelines document is provided to USA Rugby membership in order to define Referee Abuse. USA Rugby recognizes that addressing Referee Abuse will assist with referee recruitment and retention at the local and entry level. The growth of Rugby in the United States is constrained by the number of Referees available and interested in performing this role, so as it follows, it is imperative that USA Rugby address a barrier or hardship involved in the growth of the referee community and each individual referee. As the role is one that takes years of practice, study, and commitment, the treatment of Referees by the players, coaches, administrators should be supportive of one another that serve the principles of the game and in a respectful manner.

“Match Official” means the center referee, any Assistant Referee (AR), any #4 appointed by the Local Society or Match Organizer, and/or any Field Marshal, charged with policing abuse of the referees.

POLICY:

Referee Abuse - Application:

For the purpose of this policy, abuse is any conduct that falls under World Rugby Law 9, subsections 12, 27, and 28, governing verbal and physical abuse, acts contrary to good sportsmanship, and respecting the authority of the Match Official. The scope of this policy expressly extends this standard beyond participating players to include coaches, administrators, player reserves, medical personnel, photographers, or other persons allowed inside the playing enclosure or technical zones.

Definition:

Referee Abuse includes, but is not limited to:

Any intentional, but nonconsensual, contact with any Match Official;
Verbal and nonverbal communication which contains foul or abusive language or which implies or directly threatens physical harm or injury of any sort to any Match Official;
Any threat of damage to or damage to a Match Official’s personal property;
Repeated instance of on-field player dissent (as defined in the World Rugby Laws); Repeated questioning of calls during ongoing match play, whether to the center referee or to an AR, by those otherwise permitted to be in the playing enclosure (replacements, coaches, trainers, e.g.). Only individuals who may raise questions with calls are head coaches and captains. Questions should be posed in a respectful manner directly to the center referee. A captain may politely speak to a Match Official during a match; a coach may politely speak to a Match Official before and after the match;
After being warned, as provided in this rule, any failure of any player, coach, administrator, medical and support personnel, or fan to immediately leave the playing enclosure or technical zone on the request of any Match Official;
Sexual or violent gestures and/or kicking or throwing objects in response to the Match Officials’ call, non-call, or other action in officiating the match.

Referee abuse is not limited to on-pitch behavior:

Abuse may happen at any time that the Match Official is acting in their duties, and may include arriving to and leaving the Match location.
Abuse may happen may through questioning/impugning honesty/integrity of match officials away from pitch.

Referee Protocol in handling Referee Abuse

As outlined in the Game Management Guidelines, upon recognizing Referee Abuse, the Match Official may penalize a player or issue a card to the players.

For Referee Abuse involving coaches, reserve players, or those who are along the sidelines (not within the stands of a stadium setting) who are observed or perceived to commit abuse against Match Officials, the following protocols should be followed:

The Match Official will call time out and speak with the captain or the Head Coach, requesting that the offending individual(s) be addressed, to change behavior immediately, or will be ejected from the playing enclosure.
Upon subsequent offense, the Match Official will call time-out and request that the offending individual(s) be removed from the playing enclosure.
And in the event of a third offense from others, or if the offending individual(s) refuses to leave, the Match Official will abandon the match.
Any match reporting required by the Referee Organization should require Match Officials to report the abuse in a manner that alerts Referee Organization leadership. If no match reporting is required by the Referee Organization, Match Officials should still provide documentation of the abuse in a timely manner, to the Referee Organization leadership, preferably within no more than 30 days following the event.

Referee Abuse Reporting Requirements

Referee Organizations are required to report to the Referee and Laws Committee all incidents of Referee Abuse and offenders must be cited using the formal process as outlined by the local Union, SRO, and USA Rugby Disciplinary Procedures. Additionally, Match Officials might choose to file a report of a crime to local authorities. If a Referee has concerns that Abuse is not appropriately handled, they can invoke a process through the RLC JO.

GUIDELINES:

Referee Societies and Unions should educate and promote a zero tolerance policy for referee abuse and are encouraged to address situations of referee abuse however they see fit.

There are various forms of sanctions that can be imposed. The following sanctions are available for any Society or Union to employ:

Fines - Additional fines can be imposed.
Restricted Allocations - Not providing referees
Union Probations - Good standing within a union may be modified, suspended or withdrawn. For example, a Union may remove voting rights or full privileges of involvement in Union benefits or activities
Additional referee allocations at the club’s expense (TO3) or Ref Coach fees - Society agrees to allocations however, will impose the fees and expenses associated with providing AR or Coaching observations
Required footage for any future allocation - If footage isn’t provided, other sanctions may be imposed
Adherence to Technical Zones for all matches - having a TZ policy may be beneficial to keep coaches and players in specific areas.
Competitions/Conference organizers Forfeits - Conference/Match Organizers may also provide forfeits of matches where abuse is reported
Awareness that Referees have the option to file a police report in the event of any physical or verbal abuse