[Football] All 40 Elite football referees are white

[Albion my Albion]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...l-white-why-dont-black-officials-get-top-jobs


The 53-page report, compiled by the Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity Referee Support Group, alleges that some of the FA observers who assess referees for promotion to the higher leagues are racist.


I was looking up some info on the colour blindness thread when I came across this old story on the ethnicity of referees on the elite level.

 

[Smirko]

If they are the best and have gone through proper training etc as to their skill set and they are THE top 40 then no problem. People should be promoted on their ability etc not to fill any quota's or pander to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. I am sure there are many talented BAME ref's out there who when they prove their worth will be on that list.

 

[Springal]

If they are the best and have gone through proper training etc as to their skill set and they are THE top 40 then no problem. People should be promoted on their ability etc not to fill any quota's or pander to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. I am sure there are many talented BAME ref's out there who when they prove their worth will be on that list.

The problem is to get to any kind of level you need to get through local FAs which are full of very old, white men. I've seen this first hand. It is improving but I think it is very naïve to suggest you think that statistically what we have now is right.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

If they are the best and have gone through proper training etc as to their skill set and they are THE top 40 then no problem. People should be promoted on their ability etc not to fill any quota's or pander to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. I am sure there are many talented BAME ref's out there who when they prove their worth will be on that list.

And it's not as if the ones we have are acclaimed as doing an incredibly good job.

Broadly agree it should be on merit, but there should be complete openness and transparency on selection processes.

 

[Brighton Rocker]

The problem is to get to any kind of level you need to get through local FAs which are full of very old, white men. I've seen this first hand. It is improving but I think it is very naïve to suggest you think that statistically what we have now is right.

Totally agree. The issue is one of equal opportunity. Referees should reflect the population at large and also the diversity of football players. Football is not cricket!

 

[brightn'ove]

With the amount of abuse referees get at grassroots levels it does not surprise me that adding racism into the mix would cause many to quit or avoid the profession all together.

 

[m@goo]

You'd have to be very careful with "who's the w*nker in the black."

 

[Superphil]

You'd have to be very careful with "who's the w*nker in the black."

Crikey, you can remember when referees wore black? [emoji1]

 

[Thunder Bolt]

With the amount of abuse referees get at grassroots levels it does not surprise me that adding racism into the mix would cause many to quit or avoid the profession all together.

Sian Massey-Ellis has had enough problems just being an assistant referee. The OP highlighted skin colour but to be diverse, he/she ignored 50% of the population.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

'Not racist' and 'not sexist' are statistically unsustainable.

It's ludicrous

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

People should be promoted on their ability.

So, is this lot really as good as it gets? I don’t think so.

 

[Kubes]

On the positive side I understand that the blind and partially sighted community are particularly well represented!

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Totally agree. The issue is one of equal opportunity. Referees should reflect the population at large and also the diversity of football players. Football is not cricket!

How are you going to achieve that ? There is more to diversity than the colour of someone’s skin.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Sian Massey-Ellis has had enough problems just being an assistant referee. The OP highlighted skin colour but to be diverse, he/she ignored 50% of the population.

Haven’t seen her this season, has she retired?

As the years went on I thought she improved continuously…….

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

Elite football. No elite referees.

 

[dazzer6666]

Be interested to see the stats on D&I for each level of ref qualification.....ie how many non white/females etc (relative to the total) are actually working towards reffing at the highest level.

Not been involved much myself but anecdotal (and often quite angry) evidence from pals who have played or been involved with clubs at County league level bears out the comments above - the 'Blazers' still rule the show so it wouldn't altogether be a surprise is there are prejudices involved.

 

[Springal]

Haven’t seen her this season, has she retired?

As the years went on I thought she improved continuously…….

She’s been part of the VAR team this season - not sure why

 

[seagull77]

If they are the best and have gone through proper training etc as to their skill set and they are THE top 40 then no problem. People should be promoted on their ability etc not to fill any quota's or pander to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. I am sure there are many talented BAME ref's out there who when they prove their worth will be on that list.

this is a pretty ignorant view. yes, in an ideal world it should be based on merit, but that isnt the reality

 

[Baker lite]

Here we go [emoji849]

 

[matski_98]

If they are the best and have gone through proper training etc as to their skill set and they are THE top 40 then no problem. People should be promoted on their ability etc not to fill any quota's or pander to be seen to be doing the 'right' thing. I am sure there are many talented BAME ref's out there who when they prove their worth will be on that list.

I think it might be a bit more complex than that. My 16 year old son recently got his ref qualifications. At the open evening that the Sussex FA put on, the make up of the young people attending was about 95% white and no women.

Having been around the county watching my son play and ref and heard the abuse that gets slung at young ref's by the coaches and parents it'll be no surprise that the drop out rate from young ref's is really high. When you then add the colour of a refs skin into the mix as a point of abuse there's no wonder that so few make it through past this stage.

All things being equal then the colour of your skin would make no difference but as it stands things aren't equal. Until more is done to encourage BAME representation refereeing at grass root level football and less dick head, wannabe Alex Fergusons coaching youth teams then 'pandering' to 'do the right thing' is the only way you'll see BAME ref's anywhere near the elite.