UPDATE:
Further information has come to light regarding the 17-year-old referee handed a 6-week ban for failing to submit a red card report.
The suspension was imposed by another County FA. Sussex County FA are required to enforce that sanction, rather than having initiated it themselves.
That said, the core issue remains.
A first offence. A teenager giving up his time to referee grassroots football. A paperwork error.
And the outcome is a 42-day ban from all football.
If we are serious about retaining young referees, we have to ask whether maximum sanctions for administrative mistakes are proportionate.
We cannot afford to drive young officials out of the game over issues that could be addressed through education and support.
Grassroots football needs common sense as much as it needs referees.
Further information has come to light regarding the 17-year-old referee handed a 6-week ban for failing to submit a red card report.
The suspension was imposed by another County FA. Sussex County FA are required to enforce that sanction, rather than having initiated it themselves.
That said, the core issue remains.
A first offence. A teenager giving up his time to referee grassroots football. A paperwork error.
And the outcome is a 42-day ban from all football.
If we are serious about retaining young referees, we have to ask whether maximum sanctions for administrative mistakes are proportionate.
We cannot afford to drive young officials out of the game over issues that could be addressed through education and support.
Grassroots football needs common sense as much as it needs referees.
