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- Title
Stressors in Romanian elite football refereeing-- a comparison between 2009 and 2020.
- Authors
ANTONIE, ANDREI
- Abstract
Football refereeing is known to be a stressful job. Researchers have therefore attempted to identify the sources of stress for referees that affect their performances during matches. The aim of this study is to identify the stressors for Romanian elite referees and whether there have been any changes from 2009 to 2020. The present study uses guided in-depth interviews with five Romanian top league referees (N= 5). Two rounds of interviews were conducted: the first round of interviews was conducted face to face in 2009 and the second round of interviews was conducted online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential stressors have been identified and analyzed. The main stressors for referees are the Romanian Referee Committee and Referee Observers, since they will impact an official's career. The Romanian Referee Committee decides on appointments and promotions, whereas observers evaluate a referee's performance using a marking system. A low assessment means that a referee will receive no appointments in the near future. The last stressor inside the game is peer conflicts. Referees feel that the competition between them is unfair and that this affects group relationships. Referees in Romania are still regarded as amateurs. Thus, most of them have full-time jobs. Family and work responsibilities are sometimes in conflict with the demands of refereeing. The mass media is also considered an important stressor for referees because it creates a negative image about refereeing with the general public. In 2009, club managers were significantly involved in Romanian refereeing, influencing referees' careers, whereas in 2020, they were no longer identified as a stressor for referees. This also applies to the image of refereeing. In 2009, Romanian refereeing was perceived as corrupt, while in 2020, it regained its credibility due to the referees' performances. Lastly, Romanian referees do not perceive abuse (physical and verbal) as a stressor in their career. Abuse may sometimes occur off the pitch during their free time. In conclusion, stress factors in Romanian elite football refereeing have slightly changed in recent decades. Football organizations should be increasingly aware of refereeing and its importance in the development of the game and focus on offering psychological support for referees. National refereeing committees should focus more on referees' psychological needs and support their officials in order to achieve the best performances on the pitch.
- Subjects
ROMANIA; FOOTBALL officiating; SOCCER referees; FOOTBALL; FOOTBALL tournaments
- Publication
Journal of Physical Education & Sport, 2023, Vol 23, Issue 1, p186
- ISSN
2247-8051
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.7752/jpes.2023.01023