Wexford Circuit Court has made a strong statement against acts of violence towards referees and their assistants by sentencing Glen McManus, a 34-year-old self-employed block layer, to 18 months in prison with the final 12 months suspended. McManus had pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on referee Michael Lanigan and common assault on match umpire Edward Harding during a championship match last September. In the video footage presented to the court, McManus can be seen launching himself at Lanigan from behind, while the latter was left with a neck injury and missed four weeks of work as a result. McManus was also banned by the GAA and excluded from involvement with his club, St Joseph’s, for two years.
At the hearing, the judge emphasised the need for protection of voluntary referees and assistants from such “thuggery” and summarised the assault as an attack from behind on an “innocent man”, and not leading by example as required of McManus as the team manager. While the defendant’s counsel argued that his client’s actions were completely out of character and were the result of work and family pressure, and presented €3,000 in the court, with €500 for Harding and the rest for Lanigan in recognition of earnings lost as a result of his injury, the judge still found the assault serious enough to warrant immediate imprisonment.
This decision by the Wexford Circuit Court is significant in reinforcing the importance of respect and protection for referees and their assistants in sports matches. Referees and assistants have been reported to face various forms of threats, violence, and harassment, both on and off the field, with some cases resulting in severe injuries, hospitalisation, and even death. An article published in The Guardian highlighted examples of referees being hit, kicked, and spat on, and reported that children as young as eight were walking off the pitch in tears due to abuse from players and parents.
The impact of such violence and abuse towards referees and assistants can be long-lasting, not only in terms of their physical injuries and associated healthcare costs but also in their psychological wellbeing and the adverse effects on their families, communities, and the sport itself. A 2018 study conducted by the University of Portsmouth on behalf of The FA in England found that abuse towards referees led to high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout, with some quitting their roles altogether.
To tackle this issue effectively, various measures have been proposed, including improving the recruitment, training, and retention of referees, enforcing clear codes of conduct and sanctions against misconduct, engaging in education and awareness-raising initiatives for players, coaches, and spectators, and utilising technological solutions such as video assistant referees (VARs) to reduce the human error and increase the fairness and accuracy of decisions. While these measures may not eliminate the problem entirely, they can contribute to a safer and more inclusive environment for sports and help to promote the values of respect, fair play, and sportsmanship that underpin the spirit of competition.
