Dr Ben Ives
Ben
Gallin blows on his whistle and straightens his arm out to the side to signal the direct free-kick. Red Number Six responds by throwing both arms in the air and spinning round to face the referee. ‘What the ****, ref?’
‘What? I got that right, don’t you think?’ Gallin retorts with a pert smile. The player almost smiles back, momentarily forgetting he should be mimicking outrage at the decision against him. Of course, the home spectators protest as well but the short and barely audible chorus of opposition peters out as quickly as it had begun.
‘That’s a ****ing joke, innit, ref?’ Yells one slightly more committed observer from the touchline. Gallin allows himself a raised eyebrow and an inconspicuous sigh before once again signalling the free-kick.
IFAB Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct, Subsection 3 Disciplinary Action (Sending-off Offence) ‘using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures’. It was a statute embossed on the mind of every referee, easily and perfectly declaimed whenever the need arose, and yet in practice Gallin found his mandate considerably more knotty and ill-defined. The fact is he felt not offended, insulted nor abused, at least not anymore. He’d become habituated, not indifferent to such aggressive questioning, even abuse, more generally, but certainly conditioned by it here on the pitch where frustrations were understandably many.
‘This guy’s a ****ing clown,’ the same player continued his assault, more muted now and at a distance but his words carried on the biting winter breeze.
Gallin’s ears *****. His eyes narrow and his jaw clamps tighter. A line had been crossed. ‘Number Six,’ he beckons the player over while reaching into his pocket. ‘A word, please.’
Please share your response on the forum or private message us if you prefer.
When responding to our stories, you might consider the following:
o Do our stories resonate or remind you of a ‘real’ scenario that you have witnessed or been involved in? If so, please share the scenario with us in as much detail as possible.
o Do our stories reflect a problem or issue in football that you think needs to be addressed? If so, please tell us why it is an issue and what you might propose to resolve the issue.
o Conversely, do our stories reflect something that is good about the game – a reason for your continued passion and involvement? If so, please tell us about this.
o Reflecting on your own experiences, is there anything missing from our story that you think is important to highlight? If so, please share with us some of your experiences and interactions with referees, giving as much detail as possible.
We would also welcome more general feedback from the football community about the ‘realness’ of our stories.
Many thanks in advance for your help!
Ben Ives and Ben Clayton
‘What? I got that right, don’t you think?’ Gallin retorts with a pert smile. The player almost smiles back, momentarily forgetting he should be mimicking outrage at the decision against him. Of course, the home spectators protest as well but the short and barely audible chorus of opposition peters out as quickly as it had begun.
‘That’s a ****ing joke, innit, ref?’ Yells one slightly more committed observer from the touchline. Gallin allows himself a raised eyebrow and an inconspicuous sigh before once again signalling the free-kick.
IFAB Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct, Subsection 3 Disciplinary Action (Sending-off Offence) ‘using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures’. It was a statute embossed on the mind of every referee, easily and perfectly declaimed whenever the need arose, and yet in practice Gallin found his mandate considerably more knotty and ill-defined. The fact is he felt not offended, insulted nor abused, at least not anymore. He’d become habituated, not indifferent to such aggressive questioning, even abuse, more generally, but certainly conditioned by it here on the pitch where frustrations were understandably many.
‘This guy’s a ****ing clown,’ the same player continued his assault, more muted now and at a distance but his words carried on the biting winter breeze.
Gallin’s ears *****. His eyes narrow and his jaw clamps tighter. A line had been crossed. ‘Number Six,’ he beckons the player over while reaching into his pocket. ‘A word, please.’
Please share your response on the forum or private message us if you prefer.
When responding to our stories, you might consider the following:
o Do our stories resonate or remind you of a ‘real’ scenario that you have witnessed or been involved in? If so, please share the scenario with us in as much detail as possible.
o Do our stories reflect a problem or issue in football that you think needs to be addressed? If so, please tell us why it is an issue and what you might propose to resolve the issue.
o Conversely, do our stories reflect something that is good about the game – a reason for your continued passion and involvement? If so, please tell us about this.
o Reflecting on your own experiences, is there anything missing from our story that you think is important to highlight? If so, please share with us some of your experiences and interactions with referees, giving as much detail as possible.
We would also welcome more general feedback from the football community about the ‘realness’ of our stories.
Many thanks in advance for your help!
Ben Ives and Ben Clayton
