‘A game’ that has no place in professional sports

For referees criticism is side effect of their job and they know it. But it is this mindless elevation of criticism to another level - hounding, manhandling and endangering their lives- more worrying. What are we up to? Are we to hunt down everybody who does not obey our wishes as if that will end life’s misery?

Since when did our emotions precede our good sporting behaviour? Have our common sense and logics flown out of the window for good?

Perhaps it is not referees; it is we, the viewers, players and coaches. We as a society need few anger management lessons. Everybody is at his wit’s end. One small spark is all that needed to stoke the ember of the hatred and burning rage towards the official, as if to suggest, he is the root of our teams’ down fall. In truth, it merely throws light on our foolishness.

Referees are mistake-prone

Where in the world are referees infallible? Where in the world are they mistake-free? Even the best referees are at times fooled by the fast pace of the game. They don’t have the privilege of multiple or slow-motion camera angles all the viewers are fortunate with; they have split-seconds to make a decision. In that second, decision either could be right depending on their line of vision, at best obscured by bundle of bodies or their distance from the scene of crime.

We have seen in European leagues, or for that matter in World cup, how referees have fared over the years. How some referees have insanely made grave error of judgement – denied clear goals or let off-side goals to stand. In particular how one referee dished out three yellow cards in a World cup match, inexplicably forgetting what he must do with the second yellow-card? Does that give you the licence to invade a pitch? Or barge through their rest room and spread chaos.

Dhivehi league referees are not as worse as they are made out to be. May be they are prone to more mistakes, which is natural, given that they are upcoming young referees, just starting out. But then a failure to give a certain penalty doesn’t mean the entire species are rotten to the core. Or failure to see a foul as clear as daylight or a booking where it doesn’t warrant one doesn’t mean the whole bunch is of substandard variety. Okay they lack experience, which is why they need more game time under their belt. You cannot expect them to be as good and consistent as an Ali Saleem or Abeer overnight– if that is the benchmark.

Limited resources

Perhaps we should bemoan at the lack of sound sporting infrastructure. We can do so much within the ambit of our limited resources. We don’t have eight or ten stadia where they can absorb different conditions and atmospheres and learn the trade more quickly. All they have is this one stadium. This is their cradle of education, their office for work experience. It is through Galolhu stadium they can acclimate to the demanding conditions. It is through first division games – not second division games – they can learn the finer aspect of it.

There is no selective favouritism for a particular team or a player. They are not hard on a particular team or player. If you suspect something wrong it is only a figment of your imagination. Referees are constantly assessed and deplorable refereeing penalised accordingly.

Give them some game time

This unwavering band of devotees is here not for financial windfalls ( if at all there is) it entails but for the love of the game. If you get happiness by kicking a ball or watching it they get as much by officiating it. And that is what they are aspiring for – to have incident free match without a gun on their head. Without the fear of being harassed and hassled. On and off the field.

Perhaps we need to be little bit cautious in our actions and words when we call for their head. In the comfort of multiple and slow-motion camera angles we are missing the real picture. Getting too smart for the armchair critics we are at the expense of referees without the benefit of it. Give them the time they need. Bear with them. They need our backing, not our latest 'dark art form'– it has no place in professional sports.