Time to respect the official, sport
Issue: Volume 3 Number 2
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign as part of the Year of the Official to promote greater recognition and respect for officials and a better understanding of the vital role they play in helping to run Australian sport. A key objective of the Year of the Official is to attract, develop and retain officials in Australian sport.
Abuse and harassment of officials pose a threat to the future growth of Australian sport. The promotional campaign is driving home the key message - time to respect the official, sport - by challenging community attitudes and behaviour towards officials. The campaign will focus public attention on controlling and checking unacceptable behaviour and actions that are not in the spirit of sport. It will also create a greater awareness of the important role of officials in ensuring that sport is played fairly, by the rules in a fun and safe environment. Advertising will include community service announcements for television and radio, print advertisements, posters and other communication material addressing entrenched community attitudes.
ASC CEO, Mark Peters, says the entire sports industry has to take responsibility for stamping out abuse and driving a change in attitudes and culture towards officials. ‘We are urging decision makers in sport to take responsibility for promoting greater recognition of, and greater respect and protection for officials,’ Mr Peters said. ‘Sports should implement practical measures in their areas of influence to tackle abuse and harassment. This is the only way they can effect lasting change in attitudes and culture.’
To this end, the ASC is urging sporting organisations to crack down on unacceptable behaviour by participants. In cooperation with state and territory departments of sport and recreation, the ASC has mobilised the sports industry towards this objective through a series of administrator education workshops held recently across Australia, and by implementing a program of grants to state sporting organisations.
The education Workshops canvassed some broad management strategies to help sports administrators positively influence the behaviour of participants and to improve the competencies of officials at all levels. These strategies include changing to the behavioural culture existing in sporting organisations at all levels and increasing support for the ongoing training and development of officials, to boost their skills and expertise.
