Donegal GAA officials ‘awakened as they sleep at night’ due to online abuse

Donegal GAA Referees Administrator Michelle Bennett says referees have been awoken from their sleep at night as a consequence social media surfers either venting abuse or trying to have a laugh.

This coming Monday, Ms Bennett, pictured below, will present her report to the Annual Donegal GAA Convention where she has highlighted the continued level of abuse referees receive on various mediums.

“I want to express concern regarding the abuse that some referees have gotten this year,” she writes. “I have been involved with the referees now over 15 years between underage and senior level.

“It saddens me to say that not only do referees receive abuse coming off the field of play but they can now also be awakened as they sleep at night by some social media surfers who having lost a game decide to vent their anger/have a laugh, as they make their way home from the pub, night club or the late-night party.”

Ms Bennett also makes reference to a “tirade” on a particular referee that took place on a live media broadcast, which she described as “unfair.”

“We have also experienced a tirade against a referee on live broadcast media which was unfair and uncalled for,” she writes. “I understand that local and national media have codes of practice around this sort of behavior.

“I strongly feel that anyone commenting on radio should certainly not be allowed to commentate on their own club game, indeed any club game, if they don’t have the skill to give professional unbiased comment on the skill of the players contesting. Derogatory comments texted on social media cannot be taken back so also belittling comments made live on radio cannot be taken back.

“I would like you to stop and think of the time, effort and commitment these lads and ladies, our referees, put in and I’m not taking away from the players and managers either as they just put in as much, but I need the 40 clubs in our county to know if we don’t look after and respect the referee, that we have, we won’t have games to play and this is vital that all clubs take this on board.”

Ms Bennett added that 2021 has been a trying year. Donegal GAA began the year with 72 referees, with eight since stepping aside. 2020 was the last year to recruit, when Covid intruded that March and closed down the new referee development.

“I didn’t think that in 2021 I would be still under the Covid Card, which is very much still around with us,” she adds. “On December 1, the National Referee Committee will launched a revised Foundation Course for New Referees.

“Refereeing is rewarding, refereeing keeps you close to the game, refereeing allows you to view the best of players close up when under the greatest pressure they show exceptional skill and flair. Praise must go to all 64 of our active referees that kept the games going in Donegal from underage to senior level. These 64 referees are the flexible spine of all of our games in Donegal.”