Respect Guide for Leagues. Your guide to The FA s Respect programme

Transcription

1 Respect Guide for Leagues Your guide to The FA s Respect programme

2 Welcome to Respect Respect is The Football Association s direct response to a clear message from the grassroots game: We must improve standards of behaviour on and off the field. The message came through loud and clear in the major survey The FA undertook before publishing its National Game Strategy earlier this year Your Game, Your Say, Our Goal. The research involved 37,000 football participants, including all major stakeholders, in what has been the most fundamental review to date of the state of grassroots football in England. Behaviour was and is the biggest concern, both abuse and intimidation towards referees, and unacceptable behaviour by over-competitive parents towards young players. That s in addition to aggressive coaches and spectators on the sidelines. For example, parental behaviour is one of the main reasons why young players drop out of the game. Furthermore, as poor behaviour by coaches, parents and players towards referees means that thousands of officials are dropping out each season. Players and teams have told us they want a qualified referee for every game well, let s look after them and that may just happen. Respect is aimed at helping us all to work together to change the negative attitudes and abusive behaviour on the sidelines and on the pitch. It s a long-term commitment, but if we all play our part, together we can really make a difference. And it s not just about football at your level. It s about football at every level, which is why we re glad to be working in partnership with the Premier League, Football League, Professional Game Match Officials, Professional Footballers Association and League Managers Association to improve behaviour in the professional game too. Brian Barwick Chief Executive Officer The Football Association 2 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 3

3 Contents Why football needs Respect 6 What is Respect? 9 How will Respect work in practice 10 How to embed Respect in your league 12 The four steps to Respect Codes of Conduct Designated Spectators Area Captain taking responsibility Referee managing the game 25 Respect education programme 29 Welfare Officers and the Respect programme 30 Monitoring change in behaviour 33 4 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 5

4 Why football needs Respect The FA is responding to a plea from grassroots football to tackle unacceptable behaviour in football. Respect aims to bring the fun back to football for young players. Parents and coaches pushing too hard and pressurising impressionable children for three points is having a negative impact on their development and enjoyment of the game. Respect also aims to tackle the mass drop-out of referees from football due to abuse. 7,000 referees dropped out of the game last season which has led to the number of match officials hitting its lowest level to date. 98% of referees have been verbally abused and 27% have been physically abused. One in three grassroots matches are now played without a qualified match official. 846 grassroots matches were abandoned last year due to unacceptable behaviour from players and/or spectators. Parents and coaches want role models in the elite game to provide a positive example to young players. One of the team s own linesmen was unable to keep quiet at any point during the game, shouting abuse throughout and intimidating some players. Coach It goes a bit too far when the opposing manager joins in as well, swearing and cursing the ref. Spectator, open-age football The verbal abuse of players from players and coaching staff has got to stop. Spectator 6 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 7

5 What is Respect? Respect is a continuous FA programme, not a one-off initiative. Its goal is to create an enjoyable playing environment that allows people to play, officiate and watch football without being abused, mocked, insulted, jeered, physically assaulted, unnecessarily criticised or pushed too hard. Sound fair enough? So why does it happen week-in, weekout at matches all over the country? For lots of reasons people get caught up in the emotion of a match and forget that: People react better to encouragement than criticism. Everyone s doing their best whether a referee, coach, player or spectator. Children are not adults; their confidence can easily be destroyed by abusive comments and constant pressure from the sidelines. What s needed is everyone to take responsibility for their individual actions verbal or physical and abide by common-sense behaviour standards. Leagues are in a pivotal position to instil these standards. As you are probably aware, The FA is going to establish a quality accreditation scheme for leagues, and those who can demonstrate a commitment to Respect will be well placed to advance to FA Charter Standard League status and the benefits it will confer. You can find out more about The FA Charter Standard League accreditation scheme by speaking to the development team at your County Football Association. 8 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 9

6 How will Respect work in practice? The Respect programme includes four practical steps to improve behaviour on the pitch and on the sidelines in leagues such as yours throughout the country. These practical steps will help tackle different behavioural issues in youth and adult football. Respect Codes of Conduct There is a Code of Conduct for each of the five main types of football participant: Young Players Adult Players Spectators and Parents/Carers Coaches, Team Managers and Club Officials Referees Each Code explains that actions can be taken if broken. Further guidance on the specific codes and actions that can be taken by a club, league and/or County FA will be given on application to become a Respect league. Designated Spectators Area There will be a demarcated area along the touchlines, within which spectators must stay. The idea is to encourage parents and spectators to take a step back from the pitch and support the teams in a more responsible manner. Captain taking responsibility There will be a drive to enhance captaincy skills, encouraging captains to take full responsibility for their players actions and behaviour. Referee managing the game There will be a similar drive to enhance referees match management skills to create an environment where potential problems are addressed before they escalate. Respect aims to support referees to uphold the Laws of the Game. The Professional Game and Respect Clearly, the professional game has a big role to play in demonstrating Respect towards match officials and in general. Here are the five key steps to which the professional game have agreed: Referee managing the game Captain taking responsibility Pre-match briefing meeting with referee and managers/captains Team handshake before kick-off Managing behaviour in the technical area For more details on these steps go to 10 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 11

7 How to embed Respect in your league Fundamentally, we need you to accept and understand the four steps to Respect outlined on page 10 and then impart them to clubs, so in turn they convey them to their players, particularly team captains. The four steps are covered in more detail in pages of this booklet. To get all your clubs on board, we suggest the following actions. Please be aware that your league can sign up to Respect at any point during the season it s about you and your clubs being ready to take this on. Understand Respect First, take your time to read through this information guide and also take a look at the additional support materials online at TheFA.com/ Respect. You will need to decide if it s something that your league would like to support and something you would champion to your member clubs. Remember there isn t a deadline you don t have to join Respect for the start of the season if you don t have enough time. You can join Respect at any point during the season and we d encourage you to take time to get this right. You can contact the Respect lead officer at your County FA if you have any questions at this point. Get the agreement of your clubs You will need to speak to your member clubs to gain agreement that they want to be part of the Respect programme and proactively promote good behaviour in football. At Phase 3 you will be able to give them more information and practical support but at this stage you simply need an indication of support. Sign-up to Respect Once your clubs have agreed that they would like to be part of the Respect programme, you need to contact your County FA to advise them. The County FA will have a Respect lead officer who will answer any of your questions. You will need to fill in the application form available from your County FA to let us know what resources you need for your clubs. Host an information session(s) for clubs Before the start of the season, you will need to hold one or more club information sessions, where you can explain Respect and the role clubs are expected to play. The FA will provide you with the required number of Club Packs to distribute, once we have received your application form. Through the clubs, captains will be expected to be briefed on what Captain taking responsibility will mean, so if you do hold a meeting at one club, please encourage individual team captains, where appropriate, to be present to save time. It s vital that through you, clubs are absolutely clear about what their involvement entails. Overall, the key points to convey to clubs at the information session(s) are: Do we need Respect? The four steps to Respect. Detailed explanation of the Designated Spectators Area. What does it means for clubs in practice? Managing any issues which arise. Agreeing actions clubs can take and those they should refer to the league, or County FA. If you run a youth league Ideally, your County FA Welfare Officer and your own League Welfare Officer should be present at your club information session(s), so they can explain how best to get the Respect message across to younger players. Clubs own Welfare Officers should also be invited. The role of Welfare Officers covered in more detail in page 30 of this booklet. The league information session is a good opportunity to discuss how your member teams would want to demarcate the Designated Spectator s Area. Do they want to use the FA-endorsed spectator barrier and should purchase these as a league (see page 22)? Once you have held this session and the clubs are clear, you are ready to start on the road to Respect. 12 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 13

8 Ongoing monitoring and evaluation There will undoubtedly be teething problems with some aspects of the Respect programme, and it will be refined over time. But we need your help and feedback to make improvements. The FA s free Full-Time league administration system will also incorporate a Respect feedback area for referees to tell us what s working and what s not. If your league already uses Full-Time, you will be contacted with details of monitoring how well or not the Respect steps work in practice. Referees appointed to your league will also be asked to give feedback on behaviour to help us monitor if Respect can make a positive difference and what aspects in particular are working. In turn, club secretaries, managers and players can view league tables, fixture results and a range of player statistics. It dramatically reduces the workload of league secretaries and updates tables and fixtures in seconds. To see how Full-Time works, visit Also see the inside back cover of this booklet. If you are not on Full-Time, you can still be involved in the Respect programme and you will still have an opportunity to feedback your comments via the Respect lead officer at your County FA. Please see page 33 of this booklet for more detail on how Respect will be monitored and evaluated. If your league does not currently use Full-Time, we encourage you to come on board. It s free and enables league secretaries to create league and cup competitions in seconds, using wizard-based technology, and guides you through the entire process of league set-up, fixture scheduling and the inputting of player details. 14 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 15

9 How to sign-up to being a Respect League Promoting education The FA needs to support long-term change in attitudes and behaviour to raise standards across the game. So we have put in place a supportive education framework, taking on the best practices of the Respect programme and making them widely available to all participants in the game. This means all FA football courses will feature Respect briefings and advice on how to promote a safe, positive football environment. It will also see the launch of a new online parent-focused education module a new version of the former Soccer Parent course. This is aimed at helping parents/carers understand how they can support their children at football training and matches. We encourage all leagues to recommend to clubs that parents/ carers who attend matches should take this short, free education module. Leagues should also advocate FA courses to coaches and club officials. Further information can be found on page 29 of this Guide (Respect education programme). Imposing sanctions Independently, your County FA Referee Development Officer (RDO) will be briefing all the referees appointed to your league about their duties and responsibilities under the Respect programme. The main elements of what referees will be told is on page 25 of this Guide (Referee managing the game). Once leagues have signed up to Respect, further guidance will be given on the jurisdiction of clubs, league and County FAs in dealing with incidents of poor behaviour and breaks of the codes of conduct. If you have any questions on any of the above, please contact your County FA Respect lead officer. Once you receive your club packs invite. Understand Respect Read this booklet, visit and speak to your County FA for guidance. Get the agreement of your clubs Speak to your clubs to see if they want to be involved. Sign-up to Respect Tell your County FA you re in and fill in the application form to order Respect packs for your clubs. Host an information session Invite your clubs to a meeting where you can explain what Respect is, what it involves and hand out the Respect packs. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation If you re on Full-Time throughout the season you will be asked to answer some questions on behaviour at your clubs. Promoting education In October, The FA will launch an online parent-focused education module and Respect briefings will be added into every FA course. Taking action Further guidance will be sent to you to cover the levels of responsibility your clubs, you and the County FA each have when dealing with unacceptable behaviour. 16 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 17

10 They were dirty when they were losing, and refused to shake hands at the end. Player, youth football 18 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 19

11 The four steps to Respect Step one: Codes of Conduct These can be read and downloaded online at TheFA.com/Respect. They will also be sent to you in printed form for the club information sessions you hold. It s vital you understand their contents, so you are aware of the standards of behaviour expected by all football participants and what could happen if behaviour falls below these standards. You will need to advise your member clubs on the correct use of Codes of Conduct, so here s some guidance: For those clubs who already have Codes of Conduct: Codes of Conduct aren t new and are already in use by some clubs (they are mandatory in FA Charter Standard Clubs). Some are successful, some are forgotten and not acted upon. Respect brings them to life. How? By supporting and strengthening the Codes of Conduct with possible consequences. There is little point in having a set of rules if no action is taken if and when they re broken. There are five Codes of Conduct, and each explains the action which can be taken for breaking these promises. The Codes are aimed at: 1. Young Players 2. Adult Players 3. Spectators and Parents/Carers 4. Coaches, Team Managers and Club Officials 5. Referees Respect works by placing responsibility for their actions on individuals: break your Code, and bear the consequences. Codes of Conduct your member clubs responsibilities: Each Respect Code of Conduct includes the potential consequences of breaking a Code, so these are understood from the outset. Your member clubs have two main responsibilities around the Codes: 1. To ensure everyone within the club, whatever their role, has read, agreed and accepted their relevant Code and understood the actions which could be taken if Codes are broken. 2. To deal fairly and consistently with anyone who breaks their Code. The FA Charter Standard Clubs in your league already have their own club Codes of Conduct, so we recommend they look at the Respect Codes. They may want to replace their existing Codes with the new Respect ones, or they may want to add elements of Respect Codes. It is not advisable to use both sets of Codes as this could be confusing. The important difference is ensuring your member clubs and through them their own members understand and appreciate what can happen if Codes are broken. That way, there should be no subsequent debate because they didn t understand the consequences of breaking a Code. If a club hasn t used Codes of Conduct before or has Codes without consequences this needs discussion, so they understand how the Codes work and what their responsibilities are. Step two: Designated Spectator s Area One of the key elements of Respect in youth football is the creation of designated areas for spectators. In the season The FA ran a Respect pilot in 16 leagues across England and these spectator areas had a hugely positive effect on behaviour. The barriers literally draw the line across which parents/carers and spectators should not cross. This allows the coaches of both teams to stand on the other side of the pitch, meaning players get instructions from just one side of the pitch. The FA-endorsed Designated Spectator s Area tool kit (see overleaf) is available for all leagues and clubs to purchase. If you use this method of demarcation (physical barrier) it is recommended that you put the Designated Spectator s Area on one side of the pitch it is recommended that fans and parents/carers from both sides stand behind this barrier on one full length of the pitch. You may prefer an alternative form of marking a Designated Spectators Area, but you must ensure it is safe for both spectators and players. 20 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 21

12 The FA strongly recommends you obtain formal agreement from the facility/pitch provider about which method of marking is most suitable for the pitch, before beginning any work or buying any new equipment. The safety of the players, officials and spectators is paramount. The Designated Spectators Area should start two metres from the touchline on one side of the pitch. The area should run the full length of the pitch. This means no-one should be watching from behind the goals. Where there is not enough room, you must speak to the club and agree what distance from the touchline is realistic to ensure marked areas are safe for players, match officials and spectators. The size of the area around home pitches will dictate whether you are able to use: Poles with tape (ie the FA-endorsed method) Cones Spray paint to mark the Designated Spectators Area Both the poles and rope must be removed in the interests of safety after each game unless they are to be used for subsequent matches that day. Where cones are being used club officials should ensure these are still in place at the start of any subsequent games to be played on the same pitch. Where spray paint is used, club officials must check the lines have not faded between games. Official FA Designated Spectators Area tool kit: This comprises: One metre high plastic poles with retractable banding featuring Respect message Plastic mallet Pole kit bag Pole kit guidance notes Designated Spectator s barriers can be used in adult football and, in fact, some adult clubs involved in the Respect pilot saw a positive change in spectator behaviour. There isn t a grant available at this time (the key aim with the barrier is to promote better parental behaviour in youth football) but barriers can be bought or adult clubs can use the alternative markings detailed above. More information can be found at TheFA.com/Respect. Talk to your league secretary or County FA Respect lead officer if you have any queries on this. Step three: Captain taking responsibility Often problems start at matches when individual players are abusive towards the referee, which escalates into several players confronting the referee at the same time then it s anarchy. Respect aims to stop this cycle before it starts. Only the captain can challenge decisions made by the referee and the captain needs to manage his/her team to ensure this is always observed. In the separate Respect guide to team captains (available as part of the Respect club pack), here s what they ve been told: As a captain, you have no special status or privileges under the Laws of the Game, but you do have a degree of responsibility for the behaviour of your team. To promote Respect the referee will work with you, as the team captain, to manage the players and the game effectively. 22 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 23

13 Even if you are some way away from an incident when the referee feels he/she needs you involved in a discussion with a player, the referee will call you over. This will ensure that, as the team captain, you remain the point of contact for the referee. The type of behaviour which often gives rise to problems in matches, and where captains and referees need to work together, can be described as harassment and challenging behaviour towards the referee. Here are some examples of each, which are also contained in the captain s leaflet: Harassment Running towards the referee in an aggressive manner. Players surrounding the referee to protest a decision. Repeatedly asking questions about decisions in an attempt to influence the referee or undermine his/her responsibilities. Challenging Passing comment to other players about a referee s decision-making Repeatedly moaning at the referee about decisions. Gestures that obviously are made in a derogatory manner, such as a shaking of the head or waving of the hand. Ensure you wear a Respect captain s armband these will be provided by your league to your club. Together with your opposition captain, make yourself known to the referee before the game. He/she will ask if you are clear about your responsibilities. Captains have been asked to: Ensure all your players understand what they can/cannot do in relation to the referee and what is meant by unwanted behaviour. No-one s trying to curb enthusiasm just instil more discipline. This can only benefit your match and football as a whole. Ensure your vice-captain (appoint one if you haven t got one) is aware of these rules, in case you are unavailable for a game, or have to leave the field. Ensure every player in your team has signed the Respect Code of Conduct. Visit for further updates and tips for team captains. Step four: Referee managing the game There is a separate Respect information booklet for referees, which incorporates the following main information in relation to the above: As the referee, you are expected to work with the team captains to manage the players and the game effectively. You must control the game by applying the Laws of the Game and deal firmly with any open show of dissent by players. (e.g. not move away from the incident, but stay and deal with it). While recognising that players may on occasions make an appeal for a decision (e.g. a throw-in, corner or goal-kick), it is important you distinguish these from an act of dissent which should be punished with a caution. You should use a stepped approach, where appropriate, to managing players: 1. Free-kick. 2. Free-kick with quiet word. 3. Free-kick with public admonishment (this is the time referees should consider using the captain to more visibly get the message across). 4. Yellow card. The stepped approach does not negate the fact that as the referee, you have the authority within the Laws of the Game to issue disciplinary sanctions without recourse to the captain(s), including issuing a yellow or red card where the Laws require it. Even if the captain is some distance from an incident, but you feel you need him/her involved in a discussion with a player, you should call the captain over. This will ensure the captain remains your point of contact during the game. These guidelines should be seen as an additional preventative/supportive tool for referees to manage games effectively. The key is to use captains in a more visible way, where appropriate. 24 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 25

14 I was disappointed that the away team s One supporters were asked to move from the touchline, so the chosen referee s assistant could see the whole of the line, but they didn t seem to want to. Not a good advert at any level of football, particularly with children in attendance. Player, open-age football of the managers complained I was not being consistent in terms of giving his team fouls and I was also offered some advice by a spectator on another occasion. This obviously helped undermine my authority. Referee, youth football 26 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 27

15 Respect education programme Central to The FA s commitment to the Respect programme is the need to build upon the physical measures such as the Codes of Conduct and Designated Spectators Area with an education programme. The programme will be delivered by The FA s educational arm, FA Learning. It will comprise: Renewed content incorporating Respect across relevant FA Learning courses: - Laws of the Game. - Basic Refereeing Course. - Age appropriate coaching courses. - Safeguarding Children Workshop. - Welfare Officers Workshop. - Coaching Children Online. - Psychology for Level 1 Online. - Equality Workshop. - Race Equality Workshop. - Disability Equality Workshop. - Coaching Disabled Footballers. - Emergency First Aid. An interactive online module for football parents/carers and spectators, launching on TheFA.com in October. New content embedding the Respect philosophy in all FA Learning coaching awards. Behavioural standards and best practice being at the forefront of the way in which The FA s new licensed tutor workforce will work across the grassroots game. For more information on the educational services available go to or call the FA Learning hotline on Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 29

16 Welfare Officers and the Respect programme Safeguarding children is an integral aspect of the Respect programme. It s about raising awareness that bullying and verbal, emotional and physical abuse will not be tolerated in football. The Football Association requires all leagues and clubs with youth teams to have a named Welfare Officer with an accepted CRB check for the club to affiliate for the season. League and Club Welfare Officers should contact their County Welfare Officer to find out about opportunities for Welfare Officer training and meetings. As Respect is all about creating a fun and safe environment, there are specific ways in which League and Club Welfare Officers can assist the programme s implementation. The League Welfare Officer should: Promote the Respect programme as part of measures to safeguard children in the league. Attend the Respect club information session run by the league. Ensure Club Welfare Officers are familiar with the Respect programme. Monitor behaviour in the league and feedback to The FA. Ensure the Respect Codes of Conduct are distributed and used. The Club Welfare Officer should: Promote the Respect programme as part of the measures to create positive football experiences within the club. Attend the Respect information session held by the league and any such sessions held by the club. Help people to understand the Codes of Conduct and to keep within the Respect Designated Spectators Area. Talk to the County FA Welfare Officer if any incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination or abuse arise in the club. For further information on the role of Welfare Officers please go to 30 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 31

17 Monitoring change in behaviour Monitoring and evaluation is key to measuring the impact of the Respect programme and The FA will be collecting data from a variety of sources. One way is through feedback from referees. In leagues which use The FA s Full- Time League Management System, and appoint referees to fixtures, referees who have access to a computer and the internet will be able to log on and answer a few quick questions about: The behaviour of the teams, officials and spectators at specific matches. Their own enjoyment of the matches they officiate. If your league is already using Full-Time then go to Respect/monitoring to access the information you need to set-up your league which includes linking your referees to the online feedback system. For those leagues who were involved, the system is very similar to the one used in the Respect pilot. If your league is not already using Full-Time and wants to set up on The FA s system, go to FullTime to register. Using Full-Time has many benefits, beyond enabling your referees to have their say about behaviour. County Football Associations will also run free workshops to introduce the wider Full-Time services to leagues. In addition to the behaviourmonitoring via referees, we will also be using a variety of research methods across the game to gather information on behaviour. These will include surveys, interviews with participants, focus group sessions, message boards and the use of video diaries with selected participants. You do not have to use Full-Time to be involved in Respect but we recommend that you sign up to one of the free workshops to be shown the benefits of using it. 32 Respect Guide for Leagues Respect Guide for Leagues 33

18 Give paperwork The red card If you re a football administrator, referee or coach, did you know The FA can help you carry out all your administrative tasks online? To kick-off, all you need is a FAN (FA Number) in fact, you ve probably already got one. To obtain or ascertain your FAN and password, go to Then go to your County FA website, click on Member Services, type in your FAN and password and away you go. You can use the system to update league/ club information, pay fines, affiliate online and file disciplinary reports and a lot more besides. And it s absolutely free. Contact your County FA to find out about free Full-Time workshops. 34 Respect Guide for Leagues

19 The Football Association 25 Soho Square London W1D 4FA T +44 (0) F +44 (0) E info@thefa.com TheFA.com/Respect 36 Respect Guide for Leagues