Referees should always receive full support from all

Referees and officials who give up their time to the GAA should always receive our full support and never be taken for granted by those involved in the sport, Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon has said.

Following an incident at a Roscommon U17 match which left a referee lying unconscious, referees in the county withdrew their services resulting in the postponement of all weekend games.

Deputy Dillon – a former Mayo senior footballer and member of the Oireachtas Sports Committee – said he was fully in favour and in support with the Roscommon’s referees’ decision to do so.

He encourages other similar measures if this ugly side of sports is not tackled and addressed by those who oversee it.

Deputy Dillon also said it is time for people to accept there is a serious problem here and not put this down to a once off.

“Last November, I asked for all sporting organisations to account for their experiences of abuse and threatening behaviour towards referees, officials and players after Dublin underage soccer matches were called off as referees withdrew from officiating. At a subsequent committee hearing, we heard what happened on and off the fields for several sporting bodies in this country.

“I repeat again today what I said in committee on December 1 last: ‘I acknowledge the huge contribution our match officials play. We might not agree with them at all times, but they deserve the utmost respect when carrying out their duties.’

“A few days after making these comments, I found myself in the sharp crosshairs of Joe Brolly’s pen who questioned why I highlight the GAA when it comes to referees and officials being abused and targeted.

“In his weekly column, Mr Brolly said I ‘mustn’t go to many GAA matches’ and wrote ‘evidence and politicians are not a natural fit’.

“Well Joe, I’ve attended many games as a player, supporter, parent and proud GAA member. On a rare occasion, now and then unfortunately, I witness or hear accounts of referees and officials being abused and threatened by players, team officials and supporters.

“I emphasise it is in the minority, but it is a problem the GAA must address to stamp out entirely.

“As for evidence, well what happened in Roscommon is not a once off as the reports of other referees testify. We saw another high-profile incident during a Connacht Club semi-final last January where in referee’s Jerome Henry official report on the incident, the match official detailed the verbal and physical abuse that he and his colleagues suffered in the aftermath. Intimidation, abuse and targeting officials is a stain on our GAA games.

“Joe was a decent footballer but sometimes, and I know this well, forwards can have an off day and miss the goalposts by a country mile.

“Unfortunately, events have since shown Joe was so far off the mark in response to my initial comments on this matter that he has now gone full circle to state last Sunday, ’In the GAA, we treat referees like s**t.’

“I’m glad to read of Joe’s conversion on this serious matter and highlight this dark side of our games. Only by bringing these matters under the spotlight from such high-profile figures can we achieve success.

“I encourage all to continually and absolutely reject any abuse towards GAA members and all sports participants – be they referees, officials or players.

“Were it not for referees and officials, we wouldn’t have these games which we all revel in,” Deputy Dillon said.