In the Goal: The Misbehaving Official
When two or more players clash during a match, it is a scene that can happen in football, and we have witnessed it in stadiums around the world and in countless competitions. Players are under competitive pressure, and nerves can snap in a moment. The referee is there precisely to handle such incidents and restore order. But when clashes extend from players to team officials, and the referee finds himself compelled to brandish red cards at individuals who are supposed to be on the bench to maintain discipline rather than ignite tensions, the situation changes entirely.
An official is not merely another player in different clothes. His role should not involve entering the pitch, engaging in altercations with opponents, or protesting in ways that exceed the boundaries of his duties and responsibilities. Rather, his presence should be part of the solution when tensions rise, not an additional cause of escalating stress, whether during the match or after its conclusion, as occurred in the recent clash between Kazma and Sahel clubs.
Therefore, scenes of officials being sent off during or after matches should not be dismissed as mere transient emotional outbursts. They reveal, above all, the importance of selecting the right people for these roles—individuals who possess awareness, experience, and the ability to control their nerves. They must understand that their position demands behavior different from that of a fan or a player. An official who loses his temper in front of players sets a poor example. An official who engages in a scuffle with an opponent or the referee does not help his team; instead, he may suddenly become a burden to the team he came to serve, setting a bad precedent and exemplifying a lack of self-control. Most importantly, before and after all else, those who are loosely labeled “officials” must realize that sports administration is not a title printed on an ID card, nor is it a privileged seat on the bench. It is a responsibility that requires a personality capable of handling victory and defeat, provocation and pressure, dealing with referees, players, and opponents alike, without turning every match into a new test of nerves.
Thus, our stadiums need officials who know when to intervene, when to calm things down, when to remain silent, and when to let the referee do his job. When an official becomes part of the problem and leaves the pitch with a red card, we must ask: Who chose this official? Was the right person selected for the right role, or was it merely a case of “putting someone there” and moving on?
Some have become accustomed to confusing administration with thuggery. They sit on the bench as officials, but at the first spark of trouble, they behave like rowdy fans. When regulations and penalties are applied to them, they begin talking about conspiracies, forgetting that the problem was sitting right next to the players on the bench.
