The EDFA Umpires Association have sent out a strong message to players and supporters of the four local clubs, enough of the personal insults and profanities directed towards its umpires.
EDFA Umpires Association Coordinator Ash Weckert said, “It’s disappointing that we get abuse coming from the sideline.”
“It is disheartening when people yell out personal abuse and profanities, sometimes you wonder why you do it.”
“What most people don’t realise is that the umpires are making a decision in the heat of the moment, literally a split second decision, and you may get it wrong, you may get it right and everybody sees it differently.”
“Umpires call it as they see it, they are trying to interpret the rules the best they can.” He said.
Weckert has put the challenge out to the greater public to take up umpiring.
“There’s not enough people coming forward to have a go at umpiring at any level, I know that clubs struggle to find umpires for their junior grades.”
“It would be great if we could get more people to umpire, we are not able to cover all the senior games this weekend, because we are down to six umpires as three are away, which means one or two of the lower grades will have club appointed umpires.”
“We would love to build up our group of umpires to a core squad of 15 from the current group of nine, so we can cover all the senior matches.”
Umpiring of Australian Rules is job that anyone can do, you just need to practice and learn the rules at an easier level.” Weckert said.
EDFA League President Stuart Tholstrup agrees stating that the Association will come down hard on transgressors.
“A lot of it is emotion, but it (the ongoing abuse) won’t be tolerated from the League and spectators will be banned from going to the footy if it continues.” Tholstrup said.
“What needs to stop is the personal abuse directed at the umpires, the name calling and the overuse of expletives in front of children, it’s just not tolerated.”
Tholstrup reiterated that the umpires are paid employees of the Association, and they shouldn’t, like any worker, have to tolerate abuse in their workplace.
“The umpires have a job to do, they are only human, and people should respect them, whether you’re a player or a spectator.”
“We need all four clubs to be onto it and the clubs are getting better at it, but the clubs need to adhere to what’s been put out there.” he said.
