Referees Blast MLS for Lack of Support

Having been lambasted in print and in person for the entire Major League Soccer season, MLS referees have chosen the weekend of the league’s first championship match to strike back.

In a stinging, four-page letter written to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s national board of directors, Jim Allen, the USSF’s director of referee assessment, and all 12 other members of the federation’s referee committee, have sharply criticized MLS players and coaches for their behavior toward game officials this season.

“The MLS has refused to back up referees who are victims of physical assault, including head-butting and other violent attacks,” says the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Times.

“Elsewhere, such actions against referees and assistant referees would be punished by multiyear suspensions and heavy fines. Here in the United States, the players get off with minimal fines and very brief suspensions and walk away laughing.”

The letter indicates that as the season progressed, the USSF “weeded out” weaker referees but that “baiting” of game officials by players and coaches continued. It also criticized the league for its “lack of support” before and during the season and for its attitude toward referees.

“The referee’s game report, held anywhere else in the world to be a legal document, is rejected by MLS as being worthless and of no consequence,” the letter states. “MLS players and coaches make insulting remarks about the refereeing in the media and are apparently either let off altogether or given a mere slap on the wrist.

“The failure of MLS to support officials and to punish those who demean them is disgraceful. More alarming to us is that the disrespect shown by players, coaches and team officials has begun to spread beyond MLS into other competitions. After all, if the pros do it, it must be OK, right?

“The MLS may be setting the standard for play in the United States, but it is not a standard we should want to see emulated or continued. It is no wonder that many of the top referees have indicated that they may not referee in the MLS next season.”

According to Allen, it is the example that is being set that is most disturbing.

“One of our main concerns,” he said, “is that the MLS practices are spreading to lower leagues and amateur play, and this will ruin the game if not stopped quickly.”