One referee go wear video camera for di first time for Premier League game during Monday evening match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
Jarred Gillett go use one head-mounted device dem call ‘RefCam’, although dem no go show di footage live.
Dem go use di video inside one-off programme wey go provide insight into officiating for di Premier League.
For February, Bundesliga referee Daniel Schlager bin wear camera and microphone during one 2-2 draw between Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.
Dem bin also use di video for one programme dem call ‘Referees Mic’d up – Bundesliga’.
Last year, Premier League referee Rob Jones wear camera for 2023 Summer Series match between Chelsea and Brighton for Philadelphia.
Trial on di use of bodycam bin start wit grassroot clubs
Di presence of bodycam go make players and coaches retink dia behaviour, FA head of refereeing, Daniel Meeson bin tell BBC Radio 5 Live.
E say dem go extend di trial to include eight county associations for 2024.
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But Oga Meeson add say dem gatz collect more data bifor wider implementation.
Meeson, FA head of technical and referee development tok say di trial – wey don dey go for di past seven months – go need last two to three seasons for sufficient analysis and im success as a deterrent dey “difficult to say for dis stage”.
E add say di use of bodycams na “sad situation wey we find oursef” but di treatment of officials for di game don reach stage wia di FA “gatz do somtin wey dey veri strong”.
About 100 grassroots referees don wear di equipment as dem dey officiate matches across Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Worcester and Essex and recorded footage dey available for use for disciplinary hearings as appropriate.
Oga Meeson as e dey discuss di success of di trial for December 2023, tok say, “No incident dey wia player dey insult, abuse or dey offensive towards any match official – and dem no behave for way wey go make match official activate dia device.
“Referees feel safer but more importantly, di players and coaches dey get more enjoyable experience wen dem dey play di game.
“Di players and coaches wey dey involved for di trial say di mere presence of bodycam don make dem retink dia behaviour bifor dem tok somtin or do anyhow to match official.”
Why FA back di use of bodycams for match officials
Di use of body cameras dey come afta more dan 900 referees for England respond to one BBC 5 Live questionnaire for 2023, as 293 of dem tok say dem don dey physically abused by spectators, players, coaches or managers.
Some tok say pipo don punch, headbutt and spit for dia bodi, odas tok say dem don experience some kain verbal abuse.
Di president of di Referees’ Association for England tok say di abuse of match officials dey get big impact on dia mental health.
380 players and coaches bin chop ban sake of say dem attack referees and match officials for English grassroot football during di 2021-22 season.
Meeson add say FA go continue to reason oda ways to address poor behaviour, including tougher sanctions, education for persistent offenders, and deducting points “from clubs wia players continue to behave badly”.
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