Referees wearing earrings

[Paule23]

Stop using common sense!

Sorry, I'll try not to let it happen again, I know it's frowned upon here.

 

[crossref]

Can you provide a law reference? If not, why not?

The law on PLAYERS' (there's a clue for you) clothing is there for a reason. The referee is NOT involved in the same activities and risks as the players. As anothe poster indicates, Large drop earings are not adviseable but small studs with sutitable backs present no significant issue.

I don't think a small pair of studs , with suitable backs present much of an issue on a player , do they ? I don't think I would be hunting them down if I saw them

But some things on a rugby field we all would agree are dangerous
I don't understand why a referee would wear those things

Would you really feel comfortable to demand a player take off his earring, while you are wearing an identical earring? Of course that's possible, but if you do that I think you are making it hard for yourself.

 

[Pegleg]

So we can't give a law reference then. Fair enough.

I'll answer your question. I'd feel comfortable requiring a player who is, potentially, about to tackle / ruck and maul to remove items that PLAYERS are prohibited from wearing whilst wearing them myself.

 

[Pegleg]

A referee has to be distinguishable from the players for obvious reasons. However the game is about the players, not the referee, so he should avoid unnecessary extras that draw attention to him. It's just common sense, and I have yet to see a referee that went too far.

I agree. But a small set of stud would hardly be drawing attention to him or herself.

 

[didds]

Can you provide a law reference? If not, why not?

The law on PLAYERS' (there's a clue for you) clothing is there for a reason. The referee is NOT involved in the same activities and risks as the players. As anothe poster indicates, Large drop earings are not adviseable but small studs with sutitable backs present no significant issue.

If as a player I am told by the referee I can't wear a wedding ring /piercing , and in the game I see that referrer wearing a wedding ring, I may well think (but not say) "what a jolly silly person".

that doesn't make the ref right or me wrong, but that's what I'd think. Others may vary of course

You may think I'm wrong - fair enough. I'd still think you are a jolly silly person, and whether you think my point of view is valid or not i will still think that you are a jolly silly person and that may undoubtedly colour my view of your ability as a ref. Than doesn't make you wrong or me wrong. Its still what i think though!

You do not NEED a wedding ring or earings or other jewelry to ref. That is the bottom line. If your marriage is so dicey that you not wearing a ring for a few hours means your wife believes you are cheating on her, then that is indicative of a deeper issue in your marriage which is entirely outside of your reffing and wearing a piece of metal - or not. If you not wearing a wedding ring for a few hours when not with your wife means YOU cannot cope with the "betrayal" then that is your problem to deal with - if you were playing then you wouldn't even have a choice. what other reason is there for wearing it anyway?


And as for "taping it over" either playing or reffing- get your life sorted. its a piece of metal that is purely symbolic. The vows and the promises mean more than a piece of metal after all.

I can't even come up with an analogy for piercings!!

I appreciate I am in a camp of one person here.

didds

 

[Pegleg]

A symbol it might be but to many it is an important one at that. If I ask a player to remove a ring I have the law to support me. What you you have? Nothing more than a tit for tat, " If I can't have one no one should". Sorry but there is some growing up needed here. I can justify, an safety grounds why a player should not wear one you have nothing more than misplaced egalitarianism for your stance.

Oh and players can think me silly if they like. No problem at all.

 

[dave_clark]

I appreciate I am in a camp of one person here.

no, i'm broadly with you on this. but yes, we seem to be in the minority.

my father, who was a LSRFUR referee in the 70s and 80s (no idea what grade), once clobbered someone in the face while signalling advantage. could have been worse if he was wearing a ring.

 

[VM75]

I don't think a small pair of studs , with suitable backs present much of an issue on a player , do they ? I don't think I would be hunting them down if I saw them

If earnings can be removed then why wouldn't you always ask that they are?

In my most recent match a player had a nose ring, he claimed it couldn't be removed so i examined it & it was indeed small & tight against the the skin [& didn't seem like it had much likelihood of being ripped out]. I agreed it wasn't dangerous to anyone other than the wearer so I asked captain & coach if they were happy - both said yes so i let him play & noted my scorecard with coach's name whilst coach watched me write it.

Ultimately, if it got ripped out of his nose then it's his nose!

I take a different view of something that can injure an opponent or a teammate, or that can be removed.

 

[OB..]

"De minimis non curat lex" We are in danger of obsessing over relative trivialities.

 

[crossref]

So we can't give a law reference then. Fair enough.

I'll answer your question. I'd feel comfortable requiring a player who is, potentially, about to tackle / ruck and maul to remove items that PLAYERS are prohibited from wearing whilst wearing them myself.

And this is the nub of the issue, so fair play to you for coming down decisively on one side

For me it's the opposite . I wouldn't feel comfortable insisting that a player remove a ring / stud / earring / legging / knee brace or whatever while at the same time wearing exactly the same thing myself

 

[didds]

Sorry but there is some growing up needed here.

HA HA HA!

that 's bloody hilarious!



Didds

 

[crossref]

A symbol it might be but to many it is an important one at that. If I ask a player to remove a ring I have the law to support me. What you you have? Nothing more than a tit for tat, " If I can't have one no one should".

well no my view is almost the exact opposite : it's "if no one else on the pitch is allowed to wear it, then the referee shouldn't wear it either "

 

[Pegleg]

"De minimis non curat lex" We are in danger of obsessing over relative trivialities.

I hve never had a player objecting to me wearing my wedding ring. Nor did I ever object to a referee doing so. I have not witnessed a female ref take her earings out (I've never seen any "Pat Butchers" it must be said) and no one Player / Spectator / assessor or even coach, has evet objected - Granted the sample size is very small.

This really is a non issue. Players see the difference. But there we are.

 

[Thunderhorse1986]

Is this thread turning (has already turned) into one of those "what's the point" discussions?

There are views on both sides but not enough "factual evidence" to convince people of either view to change their minds. There is no clear law. There is no clear guidance from the top. No one can be clear as to what items a ref "should not" wear. Some would say "use your common sense" but that is usually not "common" across different people - everyone has their own take. Do what you feel comfortable and be ready take the flak / justify that decision if it comes to it.

I struggle to see how the discussion from here is going to help any (new) refs.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Pirates traditionally wear earrings to pay for their funeral costs.
And eye patches so they have one eye with night vision for jumping into ship holds, or when the floodlights go out.

(My wife is half Cornish (Sennen Cove) and told me about some pirates' traditions).

Thanks Simon. I spent seconds thinking up that joke.

For what it's worth I wear my wedding ring when refereeing.

I played a game with LLP Jnr when he was 17 (just to say I had) and took my ring off. Needless to say because I wasn't used to removing to referee I left it t the club. I rang them up and they'd found it - I returned to the club later that week to retrieve it . I had managed to not let Mrs LLP find out it was missing at the time and indeed until a few months ago when Jnr announced at the top of his voice "remember when you left your wedding ring at Ionians and you were scared me mam would find out?"

Dickhead!

Sorry Level 5 dickhead - to give him his official title.

 

[Pegleg]

Surely the law is clear.
There is a restriction on PLAYERS attire but NOT referees. From that starting point listen to your society / union. If there are happy why get worried? WR seems to have no issue over earings for refs so why create problems?

 

[Wert Twacky]

For what it's worth, I've worn small stud earrings as a referee and as an assistant referee for years... and no-one has said anything about it, ever. In fact, I've had more comments about my painted toenails from the other match officials than i have about earrings ;-)

Have been fortunate to be involved with some high-profile telly games over the years also - and, as with anything, if you draw attention to yourself then you suffer the consequences if/when it goes tits up. A small pair of stud earrings, though, is hardly an issue.

Now, if i rock up to Sunday's game sporting a pair of Pat Butcher's finest, then i'd expect a rocket from my boss! (Google Pat Butcher earrings if you've no clue who she is!)

 

[crossref]

If a player was wearing identical studs to yours, would you order him/her to remove them?

 

[Wert Twacky]

If a player was wearing identical studs to yours, would you order him/her to remove them?

Yes, of course. They are throwing their bodies around in contact... I, most definitely, am not.

(Other things i wear which players don't = a sports bra and the occasional lick of make-up) :biggrin:
And in local society games a heart-rate monitor/GPS... God forbid someone should pull that and "twang" it... could cause a minor boob injury.

 

[tim White]

Sorry Level 5 dickhead - to give him his official title.

No thanks needed :clap: