Geelong Advertiser |
IT’S time for some local footy fans to grow up.Football has made great strides in regards to spectator behaviour, but there remains a rusted-on mentality when it comes to umpire abuse.
In a GFL match at the weekend, one senior umpire was the subject of repetitive racial abuse from a spectator in the crowd.
The umpire was understandably upset by the comments, which were made in earshot of children.
Thankfully, the rogue supporter was identified and quickly pulled into line. His club went further by apologising after the match, then by letter, and should be commended for its swift action.
Local clubs are quick to weed out poor supporter behaviour when the issue is brought to their attention, but it should never get to that stage. After all, a club’s image can be tainted so easily by the actions of a small group.
I felt desperately sorry for the umpires who were subjected to sustained abuse from a group of supporters at one BFL game on Saturday.
One umpire was only 16, but none of them deserved to be peppered with insults every time they made a decision against one particular team.
From a neutral perspective the umpiring was fine. What had they done to deserve such treatment? Is it just because they were holding a whistle?
AFL Barwon receives a handful of complaints every year about the behaviour of spectators towards umpires. We need to make umpiring as enticing as it can be.
Who’d want to umpire when they’re subjected to abuse every week?
The good umpires will go, the inexperienced ones will be thrust into senior ranks, the standard will plateau and the cycle will continue. And, ultimately, it doesn’t matter how good the umpiring is, people will still complain anyway.
Umpires should not be immune from supporter criticism, but the line is crossed when the feedback turns pointed and personal. They make mistakes, just like players and coaches do every week.
We wouldn’t bully a teenager on senior footy debut but umpires seem to be fair game.
Some are just kids who want to stay involved in the game. They still go to school and have parents who would be mortified to hear what is said about their children.
It’s not about umpires having a soft underbelly, it’s about making sure they’re treated with a fair level of respect.
And when that happens, the game will be much better for it.
ABUSE NEVER STOPS
NEW season. New league. Same old story.
No matter where you go, abusive spectators seem to follow you.
Two weeks ago, I made a comeback to umpiring.
Each and every season I find myself dusting off the whistle to help out.
And halfway through the Western Region Football League match between St Albans and Sunshine I was forced to question whether it was all worthwhile.
From the moment I bounced the ball (or threw it up in this instance), a Sunshine spectator started hurling abuse.
Firstly I was a “disgrace”. Then I was “pathetic”. Then I “should open my bloody eyes”.
I had heard it all in more than 15 years of senior umpiring, but I warned the Sunshine bench that I wouldn’t tolerate anymore abuse from this gentleman.
Surprisingly there was a moment of respite.
Then he asked up again in the second quarter. And it become personal.
He began to insult me with comments about my appearance, the glasses I was wearing, my haircut. It went on and on.
I considered stopping the game and asking him to leave. I thought about walking off the ground.
And while he was relentless with abuse in the second half, I simply copped it.
After the game I thought long and hard about making an official report.
But why would I waste a Tuesday night copping another grilling at a tribunal hearing?
I stepped out of the rooms, happy to wash my hands with the incident, when I crossed paths with man who had made my day hell.
“Your were a disgrace today mate,” he said as we caught eye contact.
I quipped: “You really get a kick out of abusing people, don’t you? This won’t be the last you hear of this”.
He dished out a few more choice words before I delivered a few of my own.
I was at my wit’s end.
I had tolerated the abuse for two hours. Then he came back for more.
On the drive back home I was weighing up whether I would bother umpiring again.
I still haven’t gone back. And I’m not sure I will.
—ALEX OATES
