Summary of USA Soccer's New Referee Abuse Policy
- "Respect The Call" Initiative:
- U.S. Soccer has launched this initiative as part of updates to Policy 531-9.
- It aims to strengthen protections for referees and promote a respectful game environment.
- Stronger Sanctions:
- The updated policy introduces significantly stronger sanctions for both physical and non-physical abuse of referees.
- This applies to players, coaches, parents, and other participants.
- Emphasis on All Forms of Abuse:
- The policy addresses not only physical assault but also verbal abuse, harassment, intimidation, and discriminatory language.
- There is also a special emphasis on the protection of minor referees, with increased penalties for abuse directed towards them.
- Categories of Misconduct:
- The policy provides clear definitions and levels of sanctioning for various types of misconduct, including:
- Verbal taunting
- Harassment/intimidation
- Threats/derogatory language
- Offensive or discriminatory acts
- Various levels of physical abuse
- The policy provides clear definitions and levels of sanctioning for various types of misconduct, including:
- Importance of Reporting:
- U.S. Soccer is emphasizing the importance of reporting all incidents of referee abuse.
- Local organizations are also being tasked with creating clear reporting procedures.
- Spectator Misconduct:
- Many state organizations, like Mass Youth soccer, are also creating policy's that extend these protections to referees, from spectator misconduct.
