Overall aim is to make refereeing a more welcoming environment, especially for minority groups, from the grass-roots to the Premier League
The Football Association’s biggest-ever campaign to boost grass-roots refereeing is launched on Thursday to combat rising on-field hostilities across the game.
A three-year “landmark strategy” aims to make the specialism “an attractive choice”, “improve the refereeing experience” and “enhance referee performance and development”. Efforts to make the specialism more inclusive will also be outlined in an announcement at the FA’s Centre of Refereeing Excellence at Warwick University.
Multiple amateur leagues were cancelled last year after a shocking upturn in violence and abuse, with 380 players and coaches banned. Telegraph Sport reported in May how the issue is a major priority for the FA, which announced a new punishment allowing amateur leagues to hit teams with points deductions for abusing referees.
Grass-roots and former elite referees have been unanimous in welcoming the FA’s efforts to boost the appeal of lower-level refereeing amid fears that availability is dwindling.