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Soccer Referee Abuse and Assault
Soccer Referee Abuse and Assault
Soccer referee abuse and assault are very serious crimes against the sport and they continue to happen to our members. Such "Abuse or Assault" against referees may occur before, during, and after a match — including travel to and from a match. It is critical that referees correctly identify and make a report of these incidents. Guidance for how you should conduct yourself assault occurs.
It is requested and recommended that all recertifying and new referees complete the new lesson providing online instruction on recognizing and dealing with Referee Abuse and Assault.
For additional reference information regarding Referee Assault and Abuse, see the WARC Referee Abuse page.
Referee Abuse Prevention
Referee Abuse Prevention
U.S. Soccer is committed to stop abuse and assault towards referees. They have implemented new and harsher penalties in case such behavior occurs by players or coaches. Spectator abuse or assault is handled via coaches and is not under the authorities of the referees.
FROM U.S. Soccer
FROM U.S. Soccer
EFFECTIVE MARCH 2025
Join U.S. Soccer in creating a better future for our game. Our updated Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (Policy 531-9) is designed to make youth and amateur matches safer, more fun, and more empowering for everyone involved. Referee abuse will not be tolerated. We're asking everyone to do their part by knowing the rules, reporting referee abuse, and embodying behaviors that represent the best of us.
What Is Abuse and Assault?
What Is Abuse and Assault?
Referee Abuse (NON-PHYSICAL OFFENSES of gross misconduct and / or abuse)
Referee Abuse (NON-PHYSICAL OFFENSES of gross misconduct and / or abuse)
Referee abuse is a verbal statement or physical act not resulting in bodily contact. It implies or threatens physical harm to a referee or the referee’s property or equipment. Examples may include:
Verbal taunting (insulting, belittling, insinuating, or taunting behavior undermining the referee’s authority.
Questioning competence: “Do you even know the rules?”
Mocking appearance or abilities: “Did you forget your glasses?”
Accusation of bias: “What is the other team paying you ?”
Dismissive language: “You suck!”
Aggressive tone: “You are the worst ref we’ve ever had.”
Harassment / Intimidation (harassment, intimidation, retaliation, abusive or threatening (non-physical) language.
Using expletives: “That call was complete $H*t!”
Personal attacks: “You are a F-ing joke!”
Escalating intensity: “You can’t make a single good f***** call!”
Getting in the referee’s face.
Threats/derogatory language (aggression, attacking, derogatory, cyberbullying, doxing, or threatening (physical / violence) language
Threatening to inflict harm on a referee: “You gonna pay for that” - “see you in the parking lot” – “ You better watch your back”
Public attacks online, such as uploading a post to social media.
Offensive or discriminatory act (discriminatory or derogatory words or actions on account of race, skin color, ethnicity, nationality, social origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, language, or religion.
Racial or ethnic slurs
Offensive gestures
Homophobic language
Using harmful or sexist stereotypes
Referee Assault (PHYSICAL OFFENSES of gross misconduct and / or assault)
Referee Assault (PHYSICAL OFFENSES of gross misconduct and / or assault)
Referee assault is an intentional act of physical violence at or upon a referee. U.S. Soccer defines an “intentional act” as an act intended to bring about a result which will invade the interest of another in a way that is socially unacceptable. Unintended consequences of the act are irrelevant (meaning if it happened, it happened – no excuses). Examples may include:
striking, kicking, choking, head butting, grabbing, or bodily running into a referee;
spitting on a referee with ostensible intent to do so;
kicking or throwing an object at an official that could inflict injury;
damaging the referee’s uniform or personal property (e.g., car, uniform, or equipment).
Minor or slight touching (minor or slight deliberate touching)
Tapping the referee’s shoulder to get their attention.
Touching the referee’s chest with your fingers.
Grabbing the referee’s jersey to get their attention.
Intentionally bumping lightly into the referee.
Intentional confrontation (Pushing, grabbing, pulling, squeezing, pinching, lightly slapping, using of object in Non-Striking manner, or physical property damage
Shoving the referee.
Forcefully grabbing the referee/s arm.
Throwing a water bottle at the ground in front of the referee.
Dumping the referee’s bag in a trash can.
Aggressively grabbing the referee’s jersey.
Following the referee to the parking lot or to car.
Violent contact (hitting, punching, elbowing, kicking, biting, spitting, chocking, tackling, throwing or use of object or any part of body ((forearm, knee, head)) in a striking manner
Kicking the referee’s shin.
Throwing a punch at the referee.
Placing a hand on the neck to choke the referee.
Throwing a water bottle with intent to hit the referee.
Intentionally kicking the ball at the referee
These examples qualify as an immediate send off from a match along with a Referee Report and a Supplemental Report/ Referee Assault, Abuse and / or Gross Mistreatment Report.
The match needs to be abandoned.
How and Where to Report It
How and Where to Report It
Referee Report
Referee Report
Official notification of the incident. Contact, via phone or email, the President of the State Association that has jurisdiction over the game, the State Referee Administrator, and Washington State Referee Committee (WASRC) Office and your Assignor as soon as possible, but at least by the next business day, to make them aware of the incident.
If needed, the U.S. Soccer Referee Report, the U.S. Soccer Supplemental Referee Report, Referee Assault, Abuse and /or Gross Mistreatment Report can be used for instances of referee assault, referee abuse, dismissal of team officials, sending-off offenses, serious injuries, game abandonment or other substantial occurrences. Some competitions may provide individualized game, misconduct and supplemental reports. In addition to the U.S. Soccer Federation Policy 531-9, officials should consider the following when submitting a U.S. Soccer Supplemental Referee Report related to instances of referee assault or referee abuse:
Complete a U.S. Soccer Referee Report to record the basic game data
Provide a clear, concise and factual account of what happened
Include all relevant information to identify the persons involved
Do not give opinions or recommendations
Confirm the details in the report with all other officials
The report should be accompanied by written reports from the assistant referees (if used) and by copies of any other game misconduct reports sent to the league under whose jurisdiction the match was played. If you were, or are going to be medically treated for injury, that should also be noted.
File the report within 48 hours of the incident
Retain a copy of all reports for future reference
Multiple incidents may require the use of multiple supplemental reports
If you would like assistance in completing your reports regarding Abuse or Assault, send an email to reports@wareferees.org requesting assistance.
The U.S. Soccer Report, and the U.S. Soccer Supplemental Report related to referee assault or referee abuse should be sent to the following:
State Representative with jurisdiction for the competition
Washington US Youth Soccer Disciplinary Rep – WYS: Keli Bitow
Washington Adult Soccer President – WSASA: Timothy W Busch
Washington US Club Soccer - Safeguarding and Compliance
Competition authorities (e.g. local league, tournament director, cup coordinator, etc.)
Obtain contact information from your assignor or the competition website
State Referee Administrator - WASRC: Jim Kritzberg
Include a copy of the game report and team lineups.
After submitting reports related to misconduct, assault or abuse, an official should acknowledge all correspondences related to the report and advise any authorized panel of availability to attend a disciplinary hearing if requested. If requested to participate in a disciplinary hearing, either in person or by phone, an official should cooperate fully throughout the proceedings.
Thanks to the California North Referee Administration for their contribution to this page.
SafeSport
SafeSport
The Washington State Referee Committee is dedicated to maintaining zero tolerance for Prohibited Conduct. As such, it is imperative that everyone actively participates in the protection of Youth. We encourage everyone to report Safesport Code violations and stresses that Covered Personnel are mandatory reporters per applicable state and federal law.
If you suspect child abuse, report it to law enforcement within 24 hours.
Under the SafeSport Act, the reporting obligation is triggered when a mandatory reporter becomes aware of “facts that give reason to suspect” a child has suffered an incident of child abuse. Child abuse includes physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child. Sexual Abuse is defined to include the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct or the rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children or incest with children. Mental Injury means harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning which may be exhibited by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal or outward aggressive behavior, or a combination of those behaviors, which may be demonstrated by a change in behavior, emotional response or cognition.
The SafeSport Act also includes qualified immunity for good faith reports. U.S. Soccer urges all mandatory reporters to refrain from judging or evaluating the credibility of such allegations leave that to law enforcement.
Failure to promptly report suspected child abuse to law enforcement authorities may constitute a violation of applicable state and federal law and, in any event, will be deemed a violation of U.S. Soccer’s SafeSport Framework.
The definition of mandatory reporter now includes any “adult who is authorized, by a national governing body (U.S. Soccer), a member of a national governing body (Washington SRC), or an amateur sports organization (WYS Members) that participates in interstate or international amateur athletic competition, to interact with a minor (Youth) or amateur athlete at an amateur sports organization facility or at any event sanctioned by a national governing body, a member of a national governing body, or such an amateur sports organization.”
In addition to the obligation to report to local law enforcement pursuant to the SafeSport Act, Covered Personnel are charged with reporting to U.S. Center for SafeSport and/or WYS. Reports made to WYS involving the Center’s jurisdiction will be promptly forwarded to the Center.
SafeSport Training
SafeSport Training
All adult USSF officials, 18+ years old, must complete yearly online SafeSport Training. Training varies from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours.
To complete the yearly training, you must use the WAReferees.org website to access SafeSport Training. Using other methods may result in your completed training not being recognize by WASRC.
In the "I want to:" dropdown, choose "Update My Safety Information"
Follow the instruction on that page
When you are finished with the SafeSport Training, enter the date you finished on the bottom of that page
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