Column: Is soccer getting a fair scoring?
You head to your son or daughter’s soccer game expecting a fair game and you see the referee miss a foul right in front of their eyes. You yell along with everyone else, wondering how they could miss such an easy foul. If this sounds like you, then you’re not alone.
The players go out in the field expecting fair play and sportsmanship. They work hard to get where they are, then face constant fouls and referees who pay no attention to the game. It’s enough to demotivate anyone playing the game.
As a sports fan first and a sports editor second, I go out to the games and see the mistakes the referees make time and time again.
I see the struggles the players go through after yelling at the referee closest to them or running over to complain, just to be brushed off and told to continue playing or get carded.
In all fairness to the referees, there are calls they cannot see due to either being on the wrong side of the field or having players in the way when the foul happens. However, it can be maddening when you see the opposing team hold on to the back of another player’s jersey, in order to keep them from getting to the ball, and the referees don’t call it. It could raise the temper of any player, coach or fan that came to cheer on their team.
Another time the referee’s attention wasn’t where it needed to be was when a penalty kick happened and a player on the opposing team head-butted the ball, causing it to go over the net. Instead of calling for a goal kick, the referees gave the player another penalty kick, while the team and crowd audibly criticized the call.
Some people would say not to worry about it and that it’s just a game, but you can see the hard work that the players put into their team and their reaction to being brushed off again. It could really make a player wonder why they shouldn’t just go sit on the sidelines.
So, is it truly the referee’s fault? You could go either way in saying yes or no.
As for a game, there are only three referees covering it— two on the side and one in the game, doing their best not to get hit by the ball. Any player could potentially draw their attention away from the fouls being done on either side.
Some of the fouls were done right in front of them, which makes them at fault. It’s not showing very good sportsmanship to the hard work that both players and coaches put into their season.
All rules and regulations written for this article came out of the NCAA Soccer rule book. This column is written with the opinions of one editor and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Pacer Times.
