Gameday Protocols and Safety Plan

Referee Responsibilities:

Prior to the Game:

• Before leaving for the field, Referees should ask themselves the following questions:
  • Have you knowingly come into contact with anyone who has, is being tested for, or is exhibiting signs of coronavirus? (Yes or No)
  • Are you exhibiting any of the following symptoms which are not caused by any other condition? (Yes or No)
    • Fever or chills
    • Shortness of breath
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea
• If the referee answers yes to any of these questions, they should notify their assignor and refrain from officiating the game.

Pre-Game:

• Personal Stations for referees
  • The referee crew should set up their belongings in an area away from all others while maintaining 6-ft/2-yd space from each other.
  • Referees should not bring any unnecessary belongings to the field.
  • Referees are expected to arrive to the field fully dressed.
  • Gold referee jersey is the recommended color to avoid clashing.
  • If case of a conflict with the teams, alternate color jerseys should be on hand.
  • Assistant referees are expected to bring their own flags to the field. The flags don’t need to match each other.
  • Referee equipment should not be shared, but if shared, it should be sanitized before and after the match.
  • Masks must be worn before, during half-time and after the match.
  • Referees should carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes for their own personal use.
  • Referees may use a regular whistle or an electronic whistle.
• During the referee crew pregame discussion, continue to maintain 6-ft/2-yd space and insure all COVID-19 protocols are discussed.
• Field and Equipment Inspection:
• Field should still be walked. Visual inspection only of the goals, nets and flags.
  • If an item needs to be fixed or removed from the field, notify the home team as soon as possible.
• Game balls –
  • The referee should inspect all game balls, but without handling them. For better efficiency, it is recommended there be more than one game ball.
• Player Check-In:
  • Rosters
    • If possible, try to receive the roster or match report electronically ahead of time.
    •  If not, have the coach place the roster at the end of the bench to minimize close contact.
    • Leagues that require player passes, are pictures printed on the rosters? Then no need for player passes. If not, have the coach read the player passes.
    • Uniform/Jewelry checks – should be visual check only maintaining proper physical distance between referee and players.
• Coin Toss:
  • No coin toss.
    • While maintaining 6-ft space, the Home team picks direction to attack. Away team gets kick-off.
• No player walkouts or handshakes prior to the game.

During the Game:

• Technical Area (bench) and all others, COVID-19 protocol expects all players, team officials, and spectators to maintain at least a 6 - 10 ft. distance from the touchline, dependent on the facility.
  • This is NOT the referee crew’s responsibility to maintain.
  • Communicate with the coaches if anyone is not maintaining the proper distance from the touchline.
  • If the problem persists, have a conversation with the full crew and both coaches to try to resolve the issue.
  • If at any time the referee crew does not feel safe during a match because proper distancing by spectators from the crew is not being followed, you can end the match due to safety concerns.
• Try to maintain recommended distancing during the match.
• Drop Ball – no referee handling, ensure all except one player maintain a 4.5 yd. distance from the ball and restart with a whistle.
• Penalty kicks – do not handle the ball. Place the ball on the mark, the player can then adjust.
• Medical Situations –
  • Remain 6 ft. away from the injured player while determining if medical attention is needed.
  • If so, the team trainer or a coach from the player’s team should attend to the injured player.

Halftime:

• Masks should be worn during halftime.
  • Referees should maintain proper distancing during the halftime conversation.
• It is recommended referees use hand sanitizer and sanitize all referee equipment again during halftime.

After the Game:

• No handshakes, fist bumps, or high fives after the game. This can be replaced with a wave.
• If a coach’s signature is required on the match report, lay the report on the bench and back up, allowing for the coach to sign.
  • If you are required to leave a match report for the team(s), leave at the end of the team bench.
• When debriefing with the referee crew, find a space where everyone can be seen and heard, while allowing for proper distancing.
• If working multiple games, wipe down and sanitize your equipment between your matches.
• Once the game is over and the crew has debriefed, leave the field. Do not congregate around the field.
• Should you encounter any difficulty implementing these protocols, please complete a supplemental report and notify your assignor.
  • Assignors, please notify the proper club administrators if a referee crew should encounter any problems implementing the protocols.
• For contact tracing purposes, if a referee is to test positive for COVID after a match, they need to notify the assignor immediately. The assignor will be responsible for notifying the appropriate club official.