Gaelic Match Officials' Association

The Gaelic Match Officials Association has been formed as an Independent match officials body to look after the welfare of All GAA match officials including referees and umpires from all codes including Camogie and Ladies football. We felt that it was time that a national match officials body was formed to look after the interests of match officials at both a local and national level as we felt that many concerns and issues which match officials face on a regular basis were not being addressed appropriately particularly at local level.

Often at local level match officials feel isolated and pressurised in situations which they are put in by the local divisional authorities and in some cases of discipline some match officials are pressurised into accepting rulings that they might not necessarily agree with but feel they must accept if they wish to continue refereeing local championship games.

Also we feel the lack of strong referees voice at GAA congress is detrimental to the welfare of referees. Congress are the ones that vote in rules changes but it’s the Match Officials who must implement all rule changes. Surely It makes sense to have a strong referees voice at congress so referees views can be aired before any proposed rule changes.