Women referees' conclusions

UEFA's Referees' Committee has drawn up conclusions and recommendations for international women referees after the UEFA course held in Nyon in October 2003.

UEFA Referee Development Programme 2003
2nd Course for International Women Referees
28-30 October 2003
UEFA Headquarters - House of European Football, Nyon

General conclusions and recommendations 
Attention is drawn to a number of agreements made at the 2nd UEFA course for International Women Referees, for the benefit of international women’s football in Europe, adopting a standard approach in terms of interpretation and application of the Laws of the Game.

It was felt that the conclusions and recommendations made by the participants after following the theme of the course (“Improving the Decision-making Process in Key Situations”) should be shared with women referees throughout national associations in Europe.

This information is seen as supplementary to that circulated in September 2003, following the 3rd Seminar for Assistant Referees and the 1st Summer Gathering for Élite Referees and should be read in conjunction with earlier recommendations and guidelines from the UEFA Referees’ Committee also circulated previously.

1. Applying ‘Advantage’
It was recommended that referees should not use only the single criteria of a player keeping possession of the ball in deciding to allow play to continue after an offence has been committed on that player. The emphasis must be on any benefit arising being allowed to the team suffering from the offence, but only after consideration of the position of the offence in the field of play and the locations of opposing players etc.

Referees were also reminded of their obligation in respect of penalising the original offence if an anticipated advantage does not immediately occur.

Also, their obligation to take the appropriate disciplinary action against the offender, after allowing advantage and when the ball next goes out of play.

2. Hand and ball contact
It was confirmed that only deliberate handling of the ball by a player should result in a direct free-kick and that accidental hand and ball contact is not an offence, even if the ball falls favourably for the player in such a case.

3. So called “back pass” situations
Referees reported difficulties in deciding whether a 'back pass' was deliberate or not. They agreed that an accidental deflection of the ball, as a result of a tackle being made, did not constitute a ‘deliberate kick’ of the ball to the goalkeeper and play should continue.

4. Better use of time when the ball is not in play
It was concluded that, for example, when the ball is being positioned in midfield for a free kick to be taken, benefit could be gained by anticipating the next phase of play and moving early into a good viewing position, before the free kick is taken.

5. Being close to play, but …..
Value was recognised in the referee being close to the play action when signalling an offence. The close presence added creditability. However, it was also recognised that being too close sometimes got the referee involved in the action itself and limited the options of players in trying to play the ball. The correct balance of being close enough to be convincing, but not too close to be in the way of players, was desired.

6. Monitoring areas of danger
Benefit was seen in being aware of possible ‘risks’ after some tackles resulted in players being left behind on the ground, after the ball had been played away. Referees were encouraged to monitor the behaviour of such players, possibly by backward running and keeping the area of danger in view as play progressed.

7. Eye-contact with assistant referees
The value of recognising that certain attacking movements may well develop into possible offside decisions caused referees to think of the value of making almost ‘automatic’ eye-contact with an assistant referee in such situations i.e. read the pattern of play and then quickly establish eye-contact. The assistant referee should read the play similarly and anticipate the referee wishing to make eye-contact.

8. Discreet signals
In connection with the use of helpful discreet hand signals by assistant referees, referees agreed that it was necessary to discuss fully such signals in the pre-match preparation so that signals given were understood very clearly and confusion was avoided.

9. Gaining respect
It was felt that those referees who were seen to show obvious concern for the safety and welfare of players when judging challenges, more easily gained the respect of teams.

In the course summary, the participants reviewed their aims from the start of the course, viz: 
- Consistency in interpreting and applying the Laws of the Game throughout Europe. 
- Learning from experience 
- Sharing ideas
- Enhancing physical preparation
- Benefit colleagues in national associations.

After studying incidents on video, from women’s football matches, and taking part in group and fieldwork, it was agreed that the aims had been achieved and that colleagues would benefit from the circulation of these notes by UEFA.

UEFA / Referees Committee / November 2003