Being a referee in modern football is very difficult. Referees make between 200 and 250 decisions per game, that is, one every 22 seconds, in difficult and sometimes controversial situations, under enormous pressure, and each of them is analyzed and monitored from multiple angles by fans and experts.
We want people with a strong character who make and make decisions (and this, in turn
On the pitch, but at the same time, we want them to be more open and explain what drives them to make certain decisions
. They are receiving a lot of information from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and we are ready to talk and share more details with the players and coaches to help them understand how the decision was made.
The question of the behavior of players and coaches is always important in football.
The coaches agreed to work for fair play at the Euro 2024 qualifiers seminar in April, and this was one of the main topics at the last meeting of the UEFA Council in Nyon. Both coaches and players warmly welcomed and supported our new approach as a common goal for the benefit of the game.
Explaining the decision with 22 players is impossible for the referee
. There can be a breakdown in communication, and soon this beautiful sport becomes very ugly, which everyone agrees, which is bad for the image of football.
Responsibility should be shared between referees and captains to protect the image of the game at Euro 2024
Some decisions, of course, will always be debatable
. However, in an effort to improve the current situation, we at UEFA want the referees to explain their decisions more to all the teams competing in the Euro 2024.
How are we going to do that? The idea is simple: we ask all national teams to make sure that their captain is the only player who speaks to the referee
. We ask the captains to make sure that their teammates do not approach or surround the referee, which allows for direct conversations so that the decision is conveyed in a timely and respectful manner.
It is important that only the leader of the team wishing to discuss the decision can approach the referee
. It is the captain’s responsibility to make sure that his teammates respect the referee, keep their distance and do not surround him. Any teammate who ignores the role of his leader and/or approaches the referee who shows any sign of disrespect or disagreement will be reprimanded. Obviously, if the captain is a goalkeeper, then an outfielder should be appointed who can perform this function in the event of an accident at the other end of the field.
Officers will be encouraged to be open in their conversations with captains to promote a healthy environment between all parties
. This will allow them to establish great trust with the players and show the kind of leadership required of our responsible moderns in the work. The UEFA arbitration panel, judging the tournament as much as possible, will meet with each of the 24 teams to discuss this in more detail and Share this information with the players.
Adopting this approach and giving more power to referees will increase the already high quality of refereeing in our competitions and lead to better matches for players and fans to enjoy during the tournament.
If we can facilitate a constructive dialogue between referees and team captains, we will all benefit and leave a positive legacy for the future of King sport, the game we all love.
