Promotion of Communication and Action Techniques for Soccer Referees in Conflict Situations during Play

Abstract

An evaluation of a communication training project for soccer referees in an intercultural amateur league. The initial motivation of the project was the observation of a particular relationship between the referee and players with a migration background, a constellation that tends to exacerbate conflict. The null hypothesis was that the referee on the pitch can, to a certain degree, influence and control the level of conflict through his actions. We gathered data through a semi-standardized questionnaire and a computer based implicit association test (IAT). We found that the competence of the referees increased during the course of the project, which was implemented with the aim of reducing conflict. However, there are problems involved in institutionalizing this referee training curriculum more widely.