Junior/Youth Racist Comment by player

[magpie1892]

Another eventful weekend after abandoning last weekend due to a broken leg which I have posted about in another thread.

Was approached by a home player today who said an opposition (away) player had made a racist comment towards him. I was in position for a corner kick and the alleged comment was made on the half way line before the kick was taken. I did not witness the comment so currently writing a misconduct/extraordinary report with the facts that I am aware of.

Has anyone had this before and provide some advice?

 

[magpie1892]

This is the report I have written (have replaced team names with home & away)

I am reporting an allegation of a racist comment made by away team #2 towards home team #10 to me in the 75th minute, the incident occurred on the half way line out of ear shot of myself.


Before a corner kick to home team, I was positioned on the edge of the away team penalty area in preparation for the kick to be taken. The home team #10 who was on the half way line shouted to get my attention and approached me to inform me that the away team #2 had made a racist comment calling him a p*** b***** (have removed this from the post but included in my report), the comment was not heard by myself due to me being in position for the corner kick and no other players approached me to say they had witnessed the comment.

I called across the home captain #4 and explained to him that his player had made an allegation of a racist comment against an opposition player however I had never heard this as it happened on the half way line and I was on the edge of the penalty area, I informed them both that if they wanted to report the issue they could speak to their coach who would be able to assist him in making a complaint to the league and/or FA.

Following the game whilst signing the team sheet and collecting my match fee I informed the home coach of the allegation made by his player. The home player approached his coach to inform him that he wanted to make a complaint regarding the comment and the home coach asked me to accompany him and his player to discuss this with the away coach, who was unaware of what had occurred and apologised on behalf of the club, and explained if he felt as though he wanted to make a formal complaint then he could contact his coach who could process this.


How does this sound?

 

[Darius]

I had same couple of years ago.

I told both managers I hadn't heard it but had to report it as an allegation. Confirmed names of the 2 players (not wanting to put someone else in firing line.

Rang League, district FA and County FA to cover my own back and never heard anything else after doing a report (I think it was just as an email)

 

[magpie1892]

Doing the same, want to cover my back with a report to say that I was made aware etc but didn't hear it.

Up to the league to decide what happens should he make a formal complaint.(FYI this was U17's)

 

[Padfoot]

You can't report something you didn't see or hear....not as a misconduct report anyway.

Just send an email to your County Welfare Officer, copy in the League Welfare Officer.

Nothing will happen unless other people stand witness to what was said.

 

[ASM]

This has to go on to WGS as an extraordinary incident. When putting in an extraordinary incident, you will get the option to specify whether it is misconduct

Please ensure that it is reported correctly.

 

[Steve Wiggins]

I had a similar incident, Player at half time reported to me that the home team in their own dressing room used the phrase lets get the 3 points and send these F**kers back home. When I told the home manager that an allegation had been made that this was said, I did not even mention it was a racist allegation and he took it as it was that, and explained how he meant and to be fair it was a plausible explanation in that he said if he was the away side he would tell his players lets get the 3 points and F**k off home. Both managers agreed that this was a misunderstanding and no racial tones. I said that as the allegation was made I had a duty to report it the FA and will report it exactly as happened and that both managers were happy with the outcome at the end. So I think all is ok and thats the issue dealt with.

At full time, the player who made the allegation comes up to me and stats ranting about how I should not have said anything and that I put words in his mouth and that he wasn't making an allegation and I should not tell the FA nothing as he didn't say anything. I politely told him that once a player tells me/reports to me an incident I have a duty of care as a referee to report these matters wether or not they are a misunderstanding or dealt with at the game. He went off in a huff.

Spoke with RDO to confirm I needed to report this in Extraordinary reports and he said yes so did this. Monday afternoon I get an angry phone call from the home manager saying he is accused of being racist as I have put a report in against him, again politely tell him I won't discuss this over the phone if he wants my version he can get the report from the FA in full. Again think its all over

Referee a county cup game 2 weeks later with the away team from the first game playing and then they have a go at me for reporting the incident and saying I made a meal out of it all and that they are now being asked for their story of what their player said but their player does not want to do.

Who'd be a referee?

 

[Duncan Francis]

I had a similar incident, Player at half time reported to me that the home team in their own dressing room used the phrase lets get the 3 points and send these F**kers back home. When I told the home manager that an allegation had been made that this was said, I did not even mention it was a racist allegation and he took it as it was that, and explained how he meant and to be fair it was a plausible explanation in that he said if he was the away side he would tell his players lets get the 3 points and F**k off home. Both managers agreed that this was a misunderstanding and no racial tones. I said that as the allegation was made I had a duty to report it the FA and will report it exactly as happened and that both managers were happy with the outcome at the end. So I think all is ok and thats the issue dealt with.

At full time, the player who made the allegation comes up to me and stats ranting about how I should not have said anything and that I put words in his mouth and that he wasn't making an allegation and I should not tell the FA nothing as he didn't say anything. I politely told him that once a player tells me/reports to me an incident I have a duty of care as a referee to report these matters wether or not they are a misunderstanding or dealt with at the game. He went off in a huff.

Spoke with RDO to confirm I needed to report this in Extraordinary reports and he said yes so did this. Monday afternoon I get an angry phone call from the home manager saying he is accused of being racist as I have put a report in against him, again politely tell him I won't discuss this over the phone if he wants my version he can get the report from the FA in full. Again think its all over

Referee a county cup game 2 weeks later with the away team from the first game playing and then they have a go at me for reporting the incident and saying I made a meal out of it all and that they are now being asked for their story of what their player said but their player does not want to do.

Who'd be a referee?

To be honest, if all agreed that it was a misunderstanding at the time I would have left it at that !

 

[Steve Wiggins]

To be honest, if all agreed that it was a misunderstanding at the time I would have left it at that !

Sadly the thing is though if I had done that and then someone involved questioned the FA about the alleged incident who do you think the first person to be suspended would be? The Ref. The RDO explained that if I had not reported an alleged incident like that resolved or not the referee could be punished if it is reported via elsewhere and the referee had not done so and in our county we operate a disciplinary structure which means refs could get a ban for weeks.

 

[Padfoot]

Absolutely ridiculous state of affairs....without any corroborating evidence no action will be taken over the allegations.
So unless you have more than one player making the allegation, or at least backing each other up, it is a colossal waste of time.

Just stop and think about it.....player A says player B called him something racist....you didn't hear it, nobody else heard it and player B denies it.
What do you think happens next?

 

[deusex]

Absolutely ridiculous state of affairs....without any corroborating evidence no action will be taken over the allegations.
So unless you have more than one player making the allegation, or at least backing each other up, it is a colossal waste of time.

Just stop and think about it.....player A says player B called him something racist....you didn't hear it, nobody else heard it and player B denies it.
What do you think happens next?

Exactly this. I remember a coach asking me at FT if I would be reporting a racist comment - FIRST I'D HEARD OF IT!
Didn't report a thing, discipline sec called me to ask if I'd heard anything (Someone else obv reported something). I said no. End of matter. I wasn't suspended or even told off. I'm not reporting she said-he said!!

 

[Steve Wiggins]

http://www.leicestershirefa.com/~/m...the-fa-v-jordan-slade---2-september-2015.ashx this sounds very much so he said she said and the player was found guilty. if you go on http://www.leicestershirefa.com/tacklingdiscrimination you can read other reports where some are proven and some are not, includes all discrimination cases.

If someone reports to you as a referee that they heard something you are duty bound to report it, pretty much no matter your opinion. In the case you mention above no one had reported anything to you they enquired if someone else had so agree with what you put. Bear in mind he said she said is what we do when we report players for foul and abusive so why should we turn a blind eye when discrimination is involved, all you have to do is report it and leave it with the FA.

 

[Padfoot]

http://www.leicestershirefa.com/~/m...the-fa-v-jordan-slade---2-september-2015.ashx this sounds very much so he said she said and the player was found guilty. if you go on http://www.leicestershirefa.com/tacklingdiscrimination you can read other reports where some are proven and some are not, includes all discrimination cases.

If someone reports to you as a referee that they heard something you are duty bound to report it, pretty much no matter your opinion. In the case you mention above no one had reported anything to you they enquired if someone else had so agree with what you put. Bear in mind he said she said is what we do when we report players for foul and abusive so why should we turn a blind eye when discrimination is involved, all you have to do is report it and leave it with the FA.

That case is an absolute nonsense. It just highlights the hysteria that surrounds the word 'racist'.
No proper evidence provided to prove that player guilty......yet the CFA obviously too scared to do anything else.

By your yardstick then, the next time a player reports to you that they were called a "c**t", but you didn't hear it, you'll be submitting a report?
Or the player that complains they were punched.......

 

[Beezer]

Surely the County Fa can do absolutely nothing about an incident the referee has not heard ? it is one players word over another .

Correct me if I am wrong ...

 

[bester]

They can ask players for their observations and then decide that one witness is more credible than another. Maybe the player will admit to saying something he considered inoffensive but the panel deems it to be a racist comment e.g. Luis Suarez

 

[deusex]

Bear in mind he said she said is what we do when we report players for foul and abusive.

That Leicestireshire ruling is laughable and would indeed be laughed out of any criminal trial

Referees are trained and hired to be impartial adjudicators.
Players are not.
A referee's word (rightly or wrongly) is basically gospel in a discplinary case
I am certainly not duty bound to report hearsay. The player offended can report away, I'll give him the number!

 

[magpie1892]

Spoke to my RDO today and she said that submitting the report was the correct thing to do, this has been passed onto the relevant people should a formal complaint be made by the player

 

[pankaye]

That Leicestireshire ruling is laughable and would indeed be laughed out of any criminal trial

Referees are trained and hired to be impartial adjudicators.
Players are not.
A referee's word (rightly or wrongly) is basically gospel in a discplinary case
I am certainly not duty bound to report hearsay. The player offended can report away, I'll give him the number!

don't lose sight of the fact that you are the representative of the FA on that FOP.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Spoke to my RDO today and she said that submitting the report was the correct thing to do, this has been passed onto the relevant people should a formal complaint be made by the player

Your new RDO is a safe pair of hands and can provide a lot of good, practical advice. Should have been working on a course with her this weekend but she's double booked (in demand!).

 

[Steve Wiggins]

That Leicestireshire ruling is laughable and would indeed be laughed out of any criminal trial

Referees are trained and hired to be impartial adjudicators.
Players are not.
A referee's word (rightly or wrongly) is basically gospel in a discplinary case
I am certainly not duty bound to report hearsay. The player offended can report away, I'll give him the number!

It was not a Leicestershire ruling it was actually a west riding case, all local FA's are displaying all national cases for that fall under E.Conduct Category as part of transparency and that they are combating discrimination so all of those cases listed could be from anywhere in the country.

The linked film from the FA shows that players must report it to the referee and the referee must then pass this on to the relevant county FA.