Gaelic Match Officials' Association

A familiar pattern has emerged in the championship and the year as a whole, as we have seen and heard of many instances in the past number of weeks where the match referee, the linesmen, the umpires and the fourth Official are subjected to enormous levels of abuse which cannot be considered normal by anyone’s standards. 

The majority of the abuse is a behaviour which has been engrained from a young age, a decision goes against our team and our anger is directed at the referee. Many times however the abuse takes on a sinister tone and it’s important to remember that the match officials are amateurs who are carrying out their duties out of a love for the games themselves. 

Gaelic Match Officials Association (GMOA) are pleased to launch the “Referees are human too” campaign, we are instigating this not just on behalf of our members but on behalf of all match officials who officiate at GAA Games week after week. 

We are asking the fans, the managers, the players and the pundits to remember that the match officials:

• have a hugely difficult job to do, particularly on big match days
• are Amateurs who are doing the job for nothing 
• will have family at the games themselves who have to listen to the same abuse
• do not deserve to be verbally or physically abused or intimidated in any way shape or form, match officials live normal lives within our communities, regardless of a result or an incident they do not deserve to be ostracised or singled out for further abuse in the days and weeks after a game
• without referees games cannot be played

No individual has the right to lay hands on any match official or umpire, there is no excuse, it’s simply not acceptable. We also remind adults that they set an example for all children at our games, if they see adults directing verbal abuse at a match official they think this is acceptable behaviour, and the cycle continues.

So in the coming weeks and months please remember Refereess are Human too.

Any referee in receipt of un-vouched match expenses will have to make a tax return to the Revenue Commissioners for 2012.

While the GMOA welcomes Croke Park’s decision to reopen negotiations with the Revenue Commissioners on the procedures for the taxation of referees match expenses for 2012, we also welcome Revenue’s clarification stating that the Revenue Commissioners do not set the rules in relation to any monies paid by the GAA to its referees. It is important to note here that the revenue expects each individual in receipt of a payment from the GAA to adhere to their individual tax obligations for 2012, the majority of match officials will be affected by this, and it is a topic our members have expressed serious concern about. We are seeking financial advice for our members from a range of experts; any official who wishes clarification re their obligations is welcome to contact us at secretary@gmoa.ie.

The referees under the jurisdiction of the GAA are now looking forward to receiving written notification from Croke Park as to what uniform rate they wish to propose as expenses to the referees under their jurisdiction for 2012.

Upon receipt of the written proposals from Croke Park the GMOA will advise our members on whatever proposal is put forward and we will meet with the referees in the 32 counties to assess the proposal and formulate an appropriate response after consulting with the referees in each county.

It remains to be seen what proposal Croke Park will come back with in the coming weeks and we will have to see what social welfare implications any proposal may have for our members. Depending on what proposal Croke Park make to our members there may well be an impact on those referees in receipt of social welfare benefits.

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