Referees could be asked to wear bodycams as football cracks down on dissent and assaults

Football’s lawmakers are set to discuss trialling bodycams for referees in a bid to crack down on dissent and assaults.

The English Football Association has asked the International Football Association Board (Ifab) to consider the proposal and sources have confirmed to i that it will be raised during the organisation’s AGM in Doha on 13 June.

Referee charity Ref Support UK has long pushed for referees to be allowed to wear cameras secured to their clothing but the technology has been expressly forbidden in Ifab’s rules.

Law 5.5 of the game’s rulebook states that “referees and other ‘on-field’ match officials are prohibited from wearing jewellery or any other electronic equipment, including cameras.”

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Ref Support UK chief executive Martin Cassidy, a former employee in the FA’s referees department, told i: “This is a wonderful, progressive move. The atmosphere seems to be changing within the FA who seem more open to listening to outside stakeholders in football, like Ref Support UK.

“We see this as a positive move that will protect referees at all levels. Body cameras will be welcomed within the refereeing world and will prevent issues such as abuse and assaults.”

During preliminary discussions about the idea Ifab wishes to learn if there is appetite from other member associations for the technology to be introduced.

If it gains adequate support, the possibility of a trial conducted with referees in men’s grassroots football games in the UK will be explored.

It is thought that the introduction of cameras recording players when they approach the referee will stop dissent and prevent the increasing number of assaults on officials, a particular problem in the grassroots game.

It can be used to gather evidence when officials are confronted by players, managers and coaches. At youth level referees have also increasingly faced confrontations with parents of players.

Bodycams have been used in rugby (Photo: Getty)

Video cameras can be purchased relatively cheaply making the technology affordable even at the lower levels of the game, which was perhaps not the case in years gone by.

The Toolstation Western League, which includes 40 clubs across the West Country, has put itself forward for a pilot scheme if it is granted approval. A statement on the league’s website read: “The League Board have expressed their concern over abusive behaviour to match officials and female physios and believe bodycams could mitigate potential problems and improve the match day experience for everyone.

“[We] have proposed taking part in a pilot that could trial their use and consider their effectiveness in improving participant behaviour.”

It has baffled referee support groups why the use of body cameras has been denied by football’s lawmakers. Campaigners for the technology believe it will drastically reduce the amount of abuse referees receive at all levels of the game.

Ifab’s 2022 AGM was scheduled for the start of March but was pushed back three months due to the pandemic.

Other rule changes that are likely to be confirmed include increased number of substitutes in club and international matches. Other topics to be discussed include concussion substitutes, semi-automated offside technology and tweaks to the offside rule and video assistant referees.

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