Referee Safety & Professional Conduct

Overview

Standards governing the safety, neutrality, and professional behavior of referees while performing officiating duties.

Key Points

• Referees must follow the same core safety rules as players
• Officials avoid behavior that could appear biased or adversarial
• Professional conduct guidelines support respect and clarity
• Events may set additional eligibility and conflict-of-interest standards

Details

Referee safety and conduct guidelines define how officials protect themselves, maintain neutrality, and interact with participants in a professional manner. These standards help preserve trust in officiating decisions and reduce unnecessary conflict.

From a safety perspective, referees are expected to wear appropriate protective equipment for their position on or near the field. They should position themselves to reduce exposure to unnecessary impacts while still fulfilling their observation duties.

Professional conduct requirements generally include calm communication, consistent tone, avoidance of arguments with players or spectators, and refusal to engage in personal disputes. Officials should not provide strategic advice, express favoritism, or participate in celebrations that might appear biased toward a particular team.

Some governance structures also define eligibility rules to limit conflicts of interest—for example, restricting active players or team staff from officiating matches where they have a direct competitive stake.

These conduct standards support the perception and reality of neutrality, which is central to the legitimacy of any rule system.

Related Topics

• Refereeing & Officiating Standards
• Rules, Safety & Player Conduct
• governance
• Gross Misconduct Penalties