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Every sport in this world is defined by the athletes that play it. It will be fair to say that the athletes rule that world and a lot of other important factors get ignored due to it. Umpiring is a key area that might be away from the limelight but the profession does hold a significant factor in deciding the outcome of the game.
Historically, a lot of outcomes produced in a game have been appreciated for spot-on referring or even criticised for poor display and the criticism has been of the highest magnitude. Otherwise considered an unbiased profession, Umpires are designated neutral when it comes to their inclination but the likes of Steve Bucknor are surely not the fan favourite in India. Despite a few dark spots, the profession is highly regarded and someone like Simon Taufel had to wait till 2011 to officiate in a World Cup Final because of Australia's dominance in his tenure.
Highly regarded as one of the greats, Simon is one of the most elite examples of how important is the role of an umpire. While it is pretty easy to know about the role of an umpire/referee in different sports which is to officiate but what are the skills required in them? Let us debunk all that in this article.
Cricket umpire selection
The cricketing journey in India starts from the basics. To begin the journey you first need to register with the state board and then pass a written and oral examination. To go one step further and for induction in the BCCI panel, one must pass level 1 and level 2 examinations. While there is no specific educational requirement, everyone must be able to read and write so that the rules could be understood. Everyone aims to reach the peak stage and in cricket that aims to officiate in an international match, one must be able to communicate in English.
While cricket is a game that requires an umpire to be physically fit along with good vision and hearing abilities. To identify the finest of edges and even the faintest of knicks, an umpire is supposed to be physically fit in Cricket. Passing the umpire certification exam is one of the most critical steps toward becoming a cricket umpire. The BCCI Level 1 examination is the next step toward becoming an umpire. You must go through an internal screening process to be eligible to take the BCCI level 1 examination.
The parameters for this assessment are not entirely obvious, although they are heavily influenced by your performance. After completing the BCCI Level 1 refresher course, you are qualified to sit for the BCCI Level 2 examination. As previously stated, this refresher course must be taken within one year of passing the BCCI Level 1 test.
Football Referee
Football is one of the most physically demanding sports and a player is expected to run for 90 minutes. Not just that it requires pure pace and sturdy stature to sustain for a longer span. People often associate the challenging task to be with players but the most difficult task is done by the referee. To become a referee anywhere in the world one must register with the national governing body of that country. for example in India, you must register with AIFF.
To be nominated as a FIFA Referee, you need to be at least 25 years (23 years for Assistant Referees) and at most 35 years of age on 1 January in the first year of nomination. The candidate will be required to be re-nominated and undergo medical and FIFA fitness tests every year. While there is no retirement age, the ideal time is around 45 years of age considering the athletism required. All new referees will begin their journey as a Class 3 Assistant Referee upon successful completion of the FAS Referees Basic Course and a practical assessment match.
As a Class 3 Assistant Referee, you will officiate in youth, grassroots, and friendly matches and may subsequently progress to become a Class 3 Referee. After this stage you move to class 3, then class 2, then to class 1, and finally, you get associated with FIFA
Umpiring in other sports
While every sport requires the referee/umpire to know the rules of the sports they are associated with, some require technical expertise too. For instance, the chair umpire in tennis needs to understand the rules and be competent enough to work around the technologies associated with them. Being well versed with rules because players like Novak Djokovic will get back to you irrespective of that. A lot of technical things are associated with tennis, for instance, the hawkeye and other replays require some prowess to be linked.
A chair umpire is the main decision-maker during play. They are the only officials on the court who can communicate with the players, and they must keep the spectators informed concerning the development. Line Umpires are purely responsible for deciding whether a shot has landed within the area of the court they have been asked to watch.
