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Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

nytimes.com

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Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#11

Post by mbreese »

applfanboysbgon wrote: post #6

> The black card being brandished will be the final part of a three-step process. In the first instance, the referee will temporarily suspend the match and ask coaches to speak directly to its team’s supporters and parents, while an announcement will also be communicated to supporters should a public address system be available. > Should the behaviour continue, the referee will suspend the match for 10 minutes and se…

This is a common misconception. The referee has no control over who is in the stands - they are “outside agents”. Many people think that the referee can eject a spectator, but they can’t. The referee only has authority over the players and coaches.

This is why the first remedy is to ask the coaches to get their parents under control. In general, if the abuse continues, the coach can be carded as that’s the only person the ref can discipline.

Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#15

Post by red_admiral »

afavour wrote: post #13
sippingabonedry wrote: post #12

[flagged]

It’s almost as if there isn’t very much in common between Romanian youth soccer and US software development

Also, black cards already exist in other sports: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penalty_card

Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#16

Post by Loughla »

qsort wrote: post #10
hakunin wrote: post #2

I wonder how would this work in terms of fairness to the team that's likely to win. If a match is abandoned, what does it mean for progressing in a tournament, etc. Could there be a perverse incentive to cause a black card to abort a lost game? I'm sure this has all been thought through, but the article doesn't seem to say anything about it.

Quoting from the official website: >>>>>> The new procedure targets inappropriate behavior by parents and spectators directed at children, coaching staff members, referees, match officials, or other parents and spectators. This includes, but is not limited to: Verbal abuse (insults or profanity), as well as physical assault or shoving of one’s own children; Verbal abuse, physical assault, or shoving of staff members…

>If that's the situation in, and it can't be stressed enough, a children soccer game

It's not extremely common in my area, but it is more common than you would think. Parents treat their children like lottery tickets when it comes to athletics. And God help you if you're the unfortunate umpire at a travel league game that makes a questionable call.

The youth sports industry is fucking gross and nobody seems to notice.

Source: we will not let our children participate in travel leagues and they do not want to participate in them either, for this specific reason.

Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#18

Post by lacunary »

Fred27 wrote: post #9
applfanboysbgon wrote: post #6

> The black card being brandished will be the final part of a three-step process. In the first instance, the referee will temporarily suspend the match and ask coaches to speak directly to its team’s supporters and parents, while an announcement will also be communicated to supporters should a public address system be available. > Should the behaviour continue, the referee will suspend the match for 10 minutes and se…

If it's anything like the UK then it's likely the games are played in a public space like a park, so it might not be possible to eject the parent.

I don't buy it. You can kick someone out of a park for not following the rules of the park. The refs just need to be empowered.

Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#19

Post by itsmartapuntocm »

hakunin wrote: post #2

I wonder how would this work in terms of fairness to the team that's likely to win. If a match is abandoned, what does it mean for progressing in a tournament, etc. Could there be a perverse incentive to cause a black card to abort a lost game? I'm sure this has all been thought through, but the article doesn't seem to say anything about it.

I would assume it’s treated as if the team of the offending parent has abandoned the match.

Re: Romania soccer introduces black card to 'combat abusive behaviour' from parents

#20

Post by onlypassingthru »

sixo wrote: post #7
hakunin wrote: post #2

I wonder how would this work in terms of fairness to the team that's likely to win. If a match is abandoned, what does it mean for progressing in a tournament, etc. Could there be a perverse incentive to cause a black card to abort a lost game? I'm sure this has all been thought through, but the article doesn't seem to say anything about it.

I imagine this is the referee's call; a ref ought to know better than to abort the game because the losing team is throwing a tactical tantrum.

That's placing a lot of faith in the maturity and tactical awareness of a teenager. I don't know about the games in Romania, but here in the US, the youth soccer referees are mostly older youths.
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