Referees’ Review January 2009 Editor: Rod Symington The Three Referee System: that each Referee makes a thoroughly A Work in Progress independent decision and is not influenced by what the other two Referees decide. But making an by Rod Symington, WSF Senior immediate – i.e. split-second – decision Referee Assessor is not always a wise thing. Sometimes a Referee needs to take a second or two to The almost universal adoption of the reflect on a situation and to be sure that Three Referee System at the élite level he or she is making a considered has been a great benefit to the sport of decision. But the present instructions to squash. But initial evidence has emerged referees preclude any delay. In the to suggest that the System has not yet interest of better decision-making, it been perfected and that there are issues should be possible for a Referee to take a that need to be addressed with a view to moment to be sure that the decision will improving it. be correct. (With an electronic system this would be possible.) 1. The three officials are instructed to show their decisions immediately and 2. There is still no universal agreement simultaneously. The purpose is to ensure on whether a Central Referee should give an explanation for a decision if a 3. At the World Championships in player requests one. One view asserts Manchester in October some observers that the Central Referee cannot read the remarked that there were some matches minds of the two other Referees and that where the Three Referee System simply therefore it is not possible to give the “didn’t work”. These included matches player a meaningful explanation. On the where a player was resorting to unfair other hand, it is argued, the player can at tactics (short of misconduct) and where a least receive the Central Referee’s single Referee would have been able to reasoning, which might be helpful (and take some corrective action. What, for is certainly courteous). However, this example, does the Central Referee do could well lead to a player’s asking the when he or she perceives that a player is Central Referee for the latter’s reason blocking, but the other two Referees do after every decision – a habit that not? What happens when the two players undermined the previous experiment are constantly running into each other? with a Three Referee System. (Again, How much power, if any, should the with an electronic system this problem Central Referee be given to “direct” a would disappear because the player match, by giving instructions to the would not know how the three Referees players? What if the two other Referees voted. don’t agree with those “instructions”? Under what circumstances, if any, There may be issues other than these should the Central Referee give an three that need to be addressed. But in explanation? Or should every squash any case it is obvious that the Three match be played in silence? Referee System needs further debate and possible refinement. 2009: The Year of the Rules? Yes, according to Don Ball, Chair of the In the meantime it would be appropriate Working Group that has been attempting for referees and other interested parties to simplify the wording of the current to hold discussions about possible Rules for so long now, its members have proposals for Rule changes. At some almost all retired from full-time time in the not-too-distant future employment and can now devote their Member Nations will be invited to whole lives to completing the project. submit such proposals. Draft #376 is now being circulated, and The mandate of the Working Group was the Working Group hopes to be able to to produce a version of the Rules in send out a final draft to Member Nations simplified English (not an easy task). in the next few months. Proposals for actual changes to the Rules need to come from Member Nations. But don’t hold your breath… [Ed.] Reappointments 2008 Applications for Appointment as International or Re-Appoint- Following the review of applications ment as World or International received by the deadline of May 31, Referee 2008 by the WSF Referee Review Board, the Management Committee of 1. The application deadline is Sunday, the WSF confirmed the following May 31, 2009. reappointments: 2. All candidates must be nominated by World Referee their National Association. John Massarella 3. Candidates should familiarise Mike Riley themselves with the requirements for WSF World and International Referee International Referee that can be found on the WSF Website under “CBTA Programmes”. In David Atkins particular, candidates should pay close Mike Collins attention to the criteria relating to Wendy Danzey activity and assessments. Please note: an Barry Faguy application that does not meet these Jamshed Gul Khan minimum requirements will not be Ayaz Khan considered. Tahir Kanzada Munir Shah 4. All information should be submitted Yogi Singh in electronic form. A complete list of WSF Referees can be 5. Application forms and instructions are found on the WSF website. available from the WSF Office. PetroSport Open, Cairo, Egypt, 28 July–4 August 2008 by Damien Green, International come out of a tournament in Egypt alive. Referee (O.K., that’s a little bit of an exaggeration!) I like to sit and listen to the more experienced referees on the tour talk I was recently invited to the PetroSport about their past experiences. Invariably, Open in Cairo, and jumped at the chance the talk turns to their experiences to referee at a tournament in that city. refereeing tournaments in Egypt and PetroSport is a new Super Series event how the crowds there can be quite in Cairo, which was held at the Sky ‘enthusiastic’ in their support of local Sports Club. This is a fantastic multi- players. Many consider it one of the sports venue quite a way outside of toughest tests for a Squash Referee to central Cairo. It is in a developing suburban area with many, many houses effort in front of very partisan home and buildings still being built, so driving crowd. The main disappointment for the through the streets to the venue felt a Egyptian spectators was Ramy Ashour little like driving through a ghost town. having to pull out after his first-round The upside being that we didn’t get match with an injury. involved in any of the legendary Cairo traffic jams. There were six courts at the As the tournament moved into its latter venue plus the perspex portable court. stages the portable court was used in the Four of the permanent courts backed evenings; it was a bit too hot to play on onto an outdoor court yard and were it during daylight hours. The very exposed to the heat, but thankfully quarterfinals produced some great all early round play was on the two matches with Azlan Iskander finally courts fully inside and air conditioned. ending Tarek Momen’s incredible run, but he took five games to do it. Players, referees and administrators were Unfortunately, both Semi Finals accommodated at the Le Passage motel produced a retirement because injury to very close to Cairo airport. The motel one of the players, most likely a was magnificent with all the facilities symptom of how hard this sport is on the you could ever need. I even managed to players’ bodies when they have to get a bit of a trim done on the little bit of compete in close matches for several hair that I have left. The motel was days running. This left an all-Egyptian however about thirty minutes drive from final with Karim Darwish playing Wael the squash venue, but a reliable and El-Hindi. Quite a large crowd witnessed frequent bus service was provided. the final, but because two locals were playing they were quite subdued as they Nasser Zahran and Wendy Danzey were didn’t have a favourite to support. Wael the other two WSF referees on duty with ended up winning the match in four Nasser taking on the Tournament games but it was not the greatest Squash Referee role. The qualifying rounds and spectacle ever, as there was quite a bit of early main draw rounds were quite busy body contact and lots of lets asked for, for us as the three referee format was in but well done to Wael. operation from day one. We were ably assisted by a number of local referees Outside the play itself it was great to see and the players also took turns in the the new PSA Chief Executive Officer side referee seat for a number of the Richard Graham at the tournament along early matches. with Alex Gough. Both were very happy to sit and chat about Squash in general There really were some magnificent but they were also quite interested to matches early in the main draw with the hear about any issues from a refereeing standouts for me being, lucky loser perspective. Steve Coppinger putting in a huge effort to just go down to Hisham Ashour in the Wendy and I did get some time to get fifth game, and by far the biggest upset out and about and see the sights of in the tournament, Tarek Momen Cairo. The Pyramids and Sphinx were overcoming number two seed Gregory just unbelievable and the Cairo Museum Gaultier in an incredible five-game was also fantastic, especially the Tutankhamen exhibition. We also did a were 2 rounds of qualification for the bit of shopping at the Malls and old hopefuls wishing to make an impact in markets.