I am not sure if this topic has been covered before but was looking for peoples opinion on the wearing of non-sports glasses for playing in.
I have had two situations already this season in open age matches where there have been players who were intending to wear standard glasses to play in and one of these, a ladies game, the player was in fact the goal keeper. I noticed this in the warm up and decided to discuss the issue with the manager rather than the player on the basis of a safety issue not only to herself but potentially other players whilst challenging for the ball especially from corner kicks.
In the conversation that ensued I advised that as I deemed them to be a safety issue if worn, they would have to be removed if she was going to play. As the conversation progressed I was then told that I was being unreasonable as I was the first referee all season to stop her from playing. I had the same situation in a county cup game where the centre half deemed it acceptable to play in "Buddy Holly" style glasses and after I advised that I would not let him play in them again I was told I was the first referee to stop him playing.
Whilst I take this at face value it seems to me that the LOTG make no specific reference to glasses other than to say that non dangerous protective equipment is acceptable and refers to sports glasses in this paragraph so assume then than non-sports glasses are deemed as dangerous.
In youth football it has been said that the wearing of glasses is at the referees discretion but surely the same safety issue prevails and could be deemed to be at a higher
level. I cannot understand why it should be left to the referees discretion as surely it is either a safety issue or not and should therefore be unequivocal. That said, I also understand why players should not be excluded and after the ladies game I was actually accused of being discriminatory.
Would it be better if the LOTG were more specific in regards to the wearing of glasses?
I have had two situations already this season in open age matches where there have been players who were intending to wear standard glasses to play in and one of these, a ladies game, the player was in fact the goal keeper. I noticed this in the warm up and decided to discuss the issue with the manager rather than the player on the basis of a safety issue not only to herself but potentially other players whilst challenging for the ball especially from corner kicks.
In the conversation that ensued I advised that as I deemed them to be a safety issue if worn, they would have to be removed if she was going to play. As the conversation progressed I was then told that I was being unreasonable as I was the first referee all season to stop her from playing. I had the same situation in a county cup game where the centre half deemed it acceptable to play in "Buddy Holly" style glasses and after I advised that I would not let him play in them again I was told I was the first referee to stop him playing.
Whilst I take this at face value it seems to me that the LOTG make no specific reference to glasses other than to say that non dangerous protective equipment is acceptable and refers to sports glasses in this paragraph so assume then than non-sports glasses are deemed as dangerous.
In youth football it has been said that the wearing of glasses is at the referees discretion but surely the same safety issue prevails and could be deemed to be at a higher
level. I cannot understand why it should be left to the referees discretion as surely it is either a safety issue or not and should therefore be unequivocal. That said, I also understand why players should not be excluded and after the ladies game I was actually accused of being discriminatory.
Would it be better if the LOTG were more specific in regards to the wearing of glasses?