I was looking on the Yesref App and came across an U15 game just up the road from me (UK) advertised with a match fee of £50.
A phone call confirmed they are paying the normal £28 fee as set by the grass roots local league where they play plus a £22 top up from the club chairman.
Obviously they are desperate to cover their games due to the ref shortage we all know about and have taken this approach.
It got me thinking is this ethical and would I potentially be putting myself in an “awkward” position if I was to take the inflated fee?
Obviously the bigger fee is good for the refs pocket but I’m imagining a poss scenario where an R makes an honest match result defining decision which is then questioned by a losing team amid accusations of additional payments/bribery?
Seems like dangerous territory to me, are there official rules regarding this?
What do we think my fellow refs?
A phone call confirmed they are paying the normal £28 fee as set by the grass roots local league where they play plus a £22 top up from the club chairman.
Obviously they are desperate to cover their games due to the ref shortage we all know about and have taken this approach.
It got me thinking is this ethical and would I potentially be putting myself in an “awkward” position if I was to take the inflated fee?
Obviously the bigger fee is good for the refs pocket but I’m imagining a poss scenario where an R makes an honest match result defining decision which is then questioned by a losing team amid accusations of additional payments/bribery?
Seems like dangerous territory to me, are there official rules regarding this?
What do we think my fellow refs?