Referee Abuse

August 2025

Despite progress being made by unions throughout the Pacific Northwest, abuse of match officials remains a significant issue both in our game and in our region.

According to an ISTHMUS poll conducted in the fall of 2023, 54% of PNRRS officials said they have experienced referee abuse in the past year.

Nationally, this is a significant enough issue that USA Rugby has issued clear and specific guidelines (found here: USA Rugby Referee Abuse Policy) to be followed by all referees in the USA on dealing with certain incidents of referee abuse.

Referee abuse remains one of the top reasons why rugby referees decide to stop refereeing, and is a major barrier to recruiting new match officials.

It is clear that this is a situation that PNRRS must deal with. The numbers of incidents are too high, and in an environment where we already have difficulty retaining competent match officials, having them retire due to actions of others is unacceptable.

Referee Abuse Policy

1. Policy Communication

  • Prior to the start of each season, league will send an email to all registered teams clearly outlining policy, expectations for sideline behavior, and the consequences of referee abuse. 

  • Referee abuse isn’t limited to the obvious acts of physical abuse or direct threats of violence, referee abuse can involve players, coaches, and people along the sideline and can look like:

    • Disrespecting the official’s authority or questioning their integrity 

    • Verbal abuse against an official

    • Using threatening or discriminatory words or actions

    • Egregious/relentless dissent against an official

2. First Instance of Referee Abuse

  • If referee abuse is reported, the team or league representative involved will be required to participate in an informal meeting with the PNRRS Chair (or designee).

  • During this meeting, the team must work collaboratively to develop a written action plan to address and prevent future incidents.

  • PNRRS will withhold referee assignments for that team until the meeting takes place, the plan is submitted and approved

3. Second Instance of Referee Abuse

  • If a second verified incident occurs during the same season, the team involved will be required to participate in a formal meeting with the PNRRS Chair (or designee) and a league representative

  • During this meeting, the team will edit their written action plan to address and prevent future incidents.

  • Team and/or individual will be required to also write a letter of apology to the referee, explaining the steps they are taking to prevent this behavior from happening again.

  • PNRRS will withhold referee assignments for that team until the meeting takes place, the plan is submitted and approved by both the PNRRS chair and the league representative, and an apology letter is written. 

4. Third Instance of Referee Abuse

  • If a third verified incident occurs during the same season, PNRRS will again withhold referee assignments to that team until they organize and schedule a World Rugby Level 1 Referee Certification Course, open to their players, coaches, or community members.

  • All associated costs (venue, educator, materials) will be the sole responsibility of the team.

  • Proof of course must be submitted to PNRRS before referee allocations are reinstated.

5. Final Instance of Referee Abuse

  • Upon a fourth verified instance in the same season, PNRRS will withhold referee allocations for that team for the remainder of the season.

  • The team may be subject to additional disciplinary actions by league, as applicable.

6. Reporting and Enforcement

  • All incidents of referee abuse must be documented in the official match report and/or submitted to PNRRS and team and/or league within 48 hours of the game ending.

  • PNRRS and team and/or league will collaborate to ensure fair investigation and timely communication with all parties involved.

  • Appeals or concerns regarding enforcement of this policy may be directed jointly to the PNRRS Chair and team and/or league Executive Committee for review.

  • PNRRS, in collaboration with team and/or league, withholds the right to escalate consequences depending on severity of incident, and on a case by case basis.