Sport officiating is the supervision of sporting activities in accordance with laid down rules. It is the mandate of umpires, referees and judges to officiate the game by observing, interpreting events and making decisions aimed at ensuring a smooth sporting experience for both the players and the spectators (Smid, 2015). Sports are a unifying factor and draw people from various sections of the community. Therefore, officiating involves often handling diverse groups under different types of settings. The various groups include the aged, disabled, young, indigenous groups, ethnically diverse groups, religious groups and individuals from various socio-economic statuses.
Handling diverse groups places varying demands on the officials; it is, therefore, necessary for sporting officials to be well equipped with strategies to deal with the various groups and operate under different settings (McNamee, 2013). Notably, the subject of officiating diverse groups in sports has come to the fore in light of the underrepresentation of various diversity groups in sports which makes it necessary to address the needs of all diverse groups to boost participation (Kang, 2010). Officiating requires flexibility to fit in the context of the game. This paper will focus on the disabled in sports. It will highlight the challenges that officials face in officiating over the disabled and the strategies that they employ to successfully officiate in that setting.
Officials encounter challenges when officiating over the disabled since disability limits a persons’ capacity to execute moves like the abled players. Therefore, an official needs adequate training to understand the needs of the disabled to officiate successfully. More often due to the disabilities, the officials have to modify the game and the rules to accommodate for the lack of capacity by the players. The strategies adopted when officiating for the disabled should be guided by the understanding of the disability and hence the players' need for assistance (Leycett, 2015)
The various forms of disabilities in sports include physical disabilities, sensory disabilities such as visual and hearing, intellectual disabilities and multiple handicaps among others. The different groups of people with disabilities exhibit various characteristics and sports officials need to adjust accordingly to the unique needs of each group as illustrated below.
One cause of physical disabilities is cerebral palsy which is the impairment of the brain that distorts the normal functioning of the muscles. People suffering from cerebral palsy experience difficulty in articulating their speeches and lack control of their muscles (Kang, 2010). The modifications that officials can apply for such players include reducing the size of the playing area or increasing the number of players in the field to minimize movements in the field. The official can also allow the use of modified equipment such a bigger balls and lighter rackets and bats. Moreover, an adjustment of the game rules to include playing while seated and in the case of tennis, to allowing for additional bounces of the ball to accommodate the players that have difficulties in movement (Grunska, 1999). Some of the general modifications to the game include increasing the number of periods of rest, increasing the frequency of substitutions and reducing the time duration of the game.
Officiating over players with sensory impairments such as hearing and sight loss also requires strategy on the part of the official. The extent of hearing impairments varies among players; there are those who cannot hear at all whereas others make use of hearing aids to make of speeches. Players with hearing impairments have troubles speaking and understanding language and tend to overlook crucial social cues ("Inclusive practices for officials," 2016). Officials can better manage this lot by using visual aids to reinforce their instructions, and they can also write down instructions and maintain eye contact when speaking. On the other hand, players with visual impairments usually have delayed motor skills and are unable to understand the context of instructions since they can neither see gestures nor facial expressions. Officiating would involve using clear verbal instructions and provide feedback based on specific actions. More often modifications are made to a game to enable players to enjoy the game with equal passion and commitment like their able-bodied counterparts. Modifications in a sport usually come with an alteration of the rules; officials need to learn the strategies of coping with the changes. Officiating for such matches requires the referee to adapt to the players' condition. Officials have to adjust to the slow pace of the game and alter their positioning; the game requires the referee to stand at certain positions to avoid obstructing the game. An example of a modified sport is Futsal, a modified football for the deaf and blind that is fast gaining popularity in South America (Leycett, 2015).
Futsal requires officials to be more interactive in setting restarts, and in aiding players to execute corner kicks, free kicks and penalties (Leycett, 2015). Also, the referee is involved in the substitution process to ensure a safe entry and exit from the field of play. Communication is key when officiating for the disabled, for instance in football; the deaf players are communicated to through visual tools such as flags and the body language whereas the blind players are communicated to through the use of whistles.
Certain groups have intellectual disabilities, a condition that is characterized by slow learning process and acquisition of skills, difficulty in remembering information and lack of problem-solving skills. Examples of intellectual disabilities include those suffering from Down’s Syndrome and learning impairments (Psychology of officiating, 1990). Strategies involve issuing brief instructions, maintaining eye contact when issuing instructions and modifying the game by breaking complex activities into smaller, simpler activities. The sporting activities for people with intellectual disabilities should be less tasking and like in other forms of disability, the official should modify the game by increasing the number of breaks and reducing the duration of the game because the players have a low concentration span and easily get bored (Psychology of officiating, 1990).
The above points highlight strategies that officials in sports need to adhere to so as to successfully deliver on their mandate. However, there are other forces influencing the performance of officials in the field of play concerning interaction with the coaches and the spectators (O’Bryant, 1994). To that effect, officials need to adhere to a set of performance principles to ensure success regardless of the diverse groups or settings they are operating in. These principles include giving their best to the game and being in control of the match by pay paying close attention and spotting violations in the field of play. Officials also need to be tolerant of criticism and know when and how to respond to criticism targeted to them. They should avoid confronting coaches who often express their reservations about the official’s handling of the game through unending negative remarks. Also, officials need to understand the flow of every game to decide on the officiating style that they would apply and decide whether they would like to slow down the game or continue operating at the rhythm set by the players (Grunska, 1999).
Today, millions of people living with disabilities have refused to let those disabilities stop them from participating in sports. The disabled are increasingly participating in sports hence increasing the demand for sporting officials and coaches to assist in the supervision of the games (Smid, 2015). The inclusivity of the disabled in sports is further supported by organizations such as Kick it Out and the awareness being raised by the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Leycett, 2015). Games are increasingly being modified to accommodate people with disabilities who lack normal abilities thus limiting their participation in ordinary sports. Consequently, the referees need to muster the strategies of officiating over the disabled. The strategies adopted in officiating for the disabled should be guided by the understanding of the disability and hence the players' need for assistance (Leycett, 2015)
References
Grunska, J. (1999). Successful Sports Officiating: Officiating Style. human-kinetics. Retrieved 24 March 2016, from http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/officiating-style
Kang, A. (2010). Equality & Human Rights in Sport and Physical Activity. London: Ottaway Strategic Management Ltd. Retrieved from http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/EHRC_Web(1).pdf?dtrk=true
Lycett, R. (2015). Disability Developments - Changing the way Referees Officiate. Sheffield & District Junior Football League. Retrieved 24 March 2016, from http://sheffieldjfl.pitchero.com/news/disability-developments---changing-the-way-referee-10477/
McNamee, M. (2013). Sports officiating, linguistic bias and fair play. Sport, Ethics And Philosophy, 7(4), 365-367. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17511321.2013.867743
O'Bryant, M. (1994). Sports Officiating. Strategies, 8(3), 5-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08924562.1994.10592020
Psychology of officiating. (1990). Choice Reviews Online, 28(04), 28-2202-28-2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/choice.28-2202
Smid, P. (2015). Analysis of teamwork in officiating in basketball. Journal Of Human Sport And Exercise, 10(Proc1). http://dx.doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2015.10.proc1.22
Inclusive practices for officials. (2016). Ausport.gov.au. Retrieved 29 March 2016, from http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/resources/officials/tools/officiating_specific_groups/Inclusive
