Referees’ Review June 2009 Editor: Rod Symington Following a very busy period on the In addition, the world of squash will be latter part of 2008, the first six months of waiting with great suspense for the final 2009 have been rather quiet for WSF vote of the full International Olympic referees. The economic downturn has Committee on whether squash will be inevitably led to some challenges for the admitted to the 2016 Olympic Games. tournament calendar, and the demand for At the time of writing there is a sense of WSF referees has been correspondingly cautious optimism; the WSF and its low. (See the Table of Assignments later allies have made tremendous efforts to in this Newsletter.) As a consequence, promote the case of squash, and this issue of the WSF Referees’ Review whatever the outcome the sport will have is somewhat shorter than usual. benefited from an infusion of renewed energy and professionalism. However, the second half of 2009 will be a busy season, with both the The 10th World Squash Refereeing Women’s World Open in the Conference will be held in Odense, Netherlands and the Men’s World Team Denmark on September 25 and 26. See Championships in Denmark. announcement on the next page. 10th World Squash Refereeing Conference “TOWARDS POSITIVE REFEREEING: THE WAY FORWARD” 25th and 26th September, 2009 First Hotel Grand, Odense, Denmark Friday, 25 September. Session One: Calling the Shots – Correctly! 8.45 Registration 9.00 Introduction 9.30 The Challenges in Identifying the Issues and Rod Symington PowerPoint Refereeing Moving Forward Presentation and Discussion 10.00 Front Court Interference Theory and Practice Ian Allanach PowerPoint/Video Rod Symington presentation 10.45 Break 11.00 Deep Court Interference Theory and Practice Ian Allanach PowerPoint/Video Rod Symington presentation 11.45 A Referee’s Phrasebook What To Say and When Ian Allanach PowerPoint presentation 12.15 Lunch 1.15 Mid-Court Interference Theory and Practice Ian Allanach PowerPoint/Video Rod Symington presentation 2.00 Blocking and Physical Rod Symington PowerPoint/Video Tactics presentation 2.45 Break 3.15 Some Difficult Problems How to Solve Them Rod Symington PowerPoint/Video Presentation 4.00 Forum Questions From the Floor IA, RS, GW 4.30 Finish Saturday, 26th September. Session Two: The Way Forward 9.00 The Way Forward Refereeing in a Perfect Rod Symington PowerPoint World presentation 9.30 The Three-Referee Current Practice and Graham Waters PowerPoint and System Outstanding Issues discussion 10.15 Break 10.30 Injuries and Bleeding How To Get It Right Every Rod Symington PowerPoint Time presentation 11.15 Conduct on Court A Challenge for all Ian Allanach PowerPoint/Video Referees presentation 12.00 Lunch 1.15 Pressures of a Team Preparation and Practice Ian Allanach PowerPoint Event presentation 2.00 The Assessment Process How To Benefit Rod Symington PowerPoint presentation 2.45 Break 3.00 Relations with Players The Way Forward TBA Discussion 3.45 Forum Questions from the floor IA, RS, GW 4.15 Finish Hong Kong Open 2008 A general observation is that it seems to have been favourably accepted by the by Harvey Bowlt players, who consider it a fairer system, and there was minimal dissent [This article was omitted by accident throughout the week. from a previous edition of the Referees’ Review.] Due to the fact that there were only 5 WSF referees present we were initially The Hong Kong Open was held from under the impression that we would be Monday 17 November to Sunday 23 worked off our feet. However, the November 2008. The qualifying rounds tournament referee, Anthony So, made in both the men’s and women’s significant use of the other visiting tournaments were held on 17 and 18 referees and some of the local November and the draw proper started referees/players to assist with refereeing on Wednesday 19 November. duties and ultimately the WSF referees were, if anything, underutilised during The WSF referees allocated to the the tournament. tournament were world referees Chris Sinclair and Roy Gingell and Where possible, at least 2 WSF referees international referees Yogendra Singh, were used in the more difficult matches, Fayyaz Mohammad, Harvey Bowlt and but in many matches a WSF referee was Fahim Gul. Fahim Gul was unable to the central referee and was assisted by make the tournament at the last minute one of the other national referees and/or and accordingly there were only 5 WSF a local referee. On occasion this resulted appointed referees. in some interesting situations where the central referee was either overruled by Other referees sent by their national the two less qualified referees or there bodies were Miyuki Adachi (Japan), were three different decisions. Although Kim Jae Ohan and Woo Chang Wook WSF referees obviously make mistakes, (South Korea), Yang Yuan Fang (Taipei) the two examples of overruling that I and Andy Karuppiah and Aaron Soyza saw in matches where I was not involved (Malaysia). A number of local referees were clearly incorrect decisions. assisted with refereeing duties, as the three referee system was used in both the I think the lesson to be learnt is that qualifying rounds and the main draw for although there were very few problems the men’s tournament and from the throughout the tournament because of quarter finals onwards in the women’s the three referee system, it is preferable tournament. for at least two WSF referees to be allocated to each match where at all The Three Referee System possible, particularly when it gets to the Although the system has been used at later rounds of the tournament. many tournaments throughout the world it was a novelty to me, as it was the first As regards refinements to the system, time I had used the system. where dissent is shown it is generally addressed to the central referee and ultimately an electronic system needs to Kong Squash is fortunate to have such a be developed where all three referees good sponsor. give their decision anonymously and only the consensus decision is displayed As usual the organisation of the to the players. This should not be an tournament was good and my thanks to issue with modern technology. Tony Choi and his organising committee for their hospitality and the excellent Accommodation lunch during the week. Thanks also to The referees were accommodated at the Fayyaz from Hong Kong who arranged Rosedale on the Park Hotel in Causeway an informal dinner on the last evening at Bay, which was strategically placed for the United Services Recreation Club in transport and other facilities. Although Kowloon, which was hosted by the club the rooms were small they were very president, Ross Parker. comfortable and the other hotel facilities were good. The players were accommodated at one of the local 9th World Squash Coaching and Marriott Hotels, which I believe was Development Conference more upmarket. I understand that WSF Hong Kong, May 2009 have decided that in future referees must be accommodated in a hotel that is the Chris Sinclair same standard as that used by the WSF World Referee players. However, I had no complaints about the ref’s hotel accommodation. I was asked to present two one-hour sessions at this Conference. My topics Venues were: The initial rounds were held at the Hong Kong Squash Centre and the semi finals 1. Singles Rules – What’s Next, and and finals were held at an open court in Doubles Rules – 2008 Changes to Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side of Interference and Scoring Hong Kong. Fortunately the weather for 2. Squash Australia’s Video Rules the semis and final was good and the Presentations, and Refereeing – Its court was at a different angle to its Place Within Squash position a couple of years ago, when I had the interesting experience of a ball Of course it was innovative for Hong going out of court over my head and into Kong to include refereeing topics at a the sea! It was positioned so that the Coaching Conference and it was a great skyline and light show on the Hong opportunity to spread the word about Kong island skyline were displayed refereeing generally – different ways of behind the front wall and it must be one presenting rules information to players of the more spectacular venues for a and for training referees; WSF’s CBTA squash tournament in the world. programme; problems facing refereeing; and of course Rules updates (which I The Tournament in General kept very brief). I was interested to hear that this is the rd 23 year that Cathay Pacific has After speaking about the topics, I handed sponsored the tournament and Hong out a survey on certain aspects of the Rules including Turning, Excessive On World Squash Day Mr Timothy Fok Swing, Minimal Interference, Injury and Tsun-ting (President of the Olympic Blood situations, as well as the 3- Committee of Hong Kong) was invited Referee System, and I will pass those to lunch and to address the gathering. results onto the WSF Rules Committee. His son is a keen squash player in Hong Kong. Other presenters were: Gerard DeCourcy (Vice President WSF); I had some spare time for shopping the Tony Choi (National Coach HK day I left, and having arrived in Hong Squash); Anthony Ricketts (National Kong with 16 kgs of luggage, I left with Coach Squash New Zealand); David 26 kgs. Well, Tony did ask us to Pearson (UK National Coach); Stafford contribute to Hong Kong’s economy! Murray (Head of Analysis EIS); Aidan Harrison (Head Squash Professional I believe smaller countries are desperate USA); Sarah Fitz-Gerald (5 times World for information and material for them to Champion); and various personnel from be able to teach their players the rules, the Hong Kong Sports Institute.