sportsmanship

02 July 2004
by GLENN McLEAN
Taranaki referees have launched a campaign to stop on-field abuse of officials. Sparked by a serious downturn in referee numbers throughout a variety of sports, the campaign is backed financially by New Zealand Sport and Recreation (Sparc) and Sport Taranaki.

The No Ref, No Sport promotion is also being supported by a number of high-profile players and administrators, including former All Black Gordon Slater, Flyers netball player Wendy King, Team Taranaki soccer captain Malcolm Bourgoise and Mountain Airs basketball coach Warren Osborne.

Taranaki Rugby Referees chairman Ray Hopkinson said the campaign was designed to raise public awareness of how critically short the supply of referees had become in the province. Hopkinson said it was no secret that referee abuse was the main reason behind the shortage.
"There is all hell breaking loose out there on the sidelines with abuse towards referees," he said.
"We get a lot of referees simply walking away from it after only a couple of years because of the abuse. Our numbers have dropped by about 35% in recent years.
"What we are trying to get across to the general public is that if we haven't got a referee or umpire, you haven't got a game."

Thousands of leaflets with the slogan Bring Your Support And Leave Your Abuse Elsewhere would be distributed to spectators at sports events in the next few weeks. Hopkinson said Sparc was using Taranaki as a trial case before looking at the promotion nationally.

Sport Taranaki sport development manager John Broadhurst said the campaign was the result of several codes approaching the sporting body asking for help.
"It got to the stage at the end of last year when something had to be done," he said.

Broadhurst said Sparc's involvement gave the campaign credibility nationally, although its success would take time to measure. "We want to grow its profile. The best feedback we could get will be from the referees and how they see the response from the sidelines."

Referees whistle up sportsmanship plea
02 July 2004 by GLENN McLEAN Taranaki referees have launched a campaign to stop on-field abuse of officials. Sparked by a serious downturn in referee numbers throughout a variety of sports, the campaign is backed financially by New Zealand Sport and Recreation (Sparc) and Sport Taranaki. The No Ref, No Sport promotion is also being supported by a number of high-profile players and administrators, including former All Black Gordon Slater, Flyers netball player Wendy King, Team Taranaki soccer captain Malcolm Bourgoise and Mountain Airs basketball coach Warren Osborne. Taranaki Rugby Referees chairman Ray Hopkinson said the campaign was designed to raise public awareness of how critically short the supply of referees had become in the province. Hopkinson said it was no secret that referee abuse was the main reason behind the shortage. "There is all hell breaking loose out there on the sidelines with abuse towards referees," he said. "We get a lot of referees simply walking away from it after only a couple of years because of the abuse. Our numbers have dropped by about 35% in recent years. "What we are trying to get across to the general public is that if we haven't got a referee or umpire, you haven't got a game." Thousands of leaflets with the slogan Bring Your Support And Leave Your Abuse Elsewhere would be distributed to spectators at sports events in the next few weeks. Hopkinson said Sparc was using Taranaki as a trial case before looking at the promotion nationally. Sport Taranaki sport development manager John Broadhurst said the campaign was the result of several codes approaching the sporting body asking for help. "It got to the stage at the end of last year when something had to be done," he said. Broadhurst said Sparc's involvement gave the campaign credibility nationally, although its success would take time to measure. "We want to grow its profile. The best feedback we could get will be from the referees and how they see the response from the sidelines."