Teaser

Introduction

Ben Williams on refereeing integirty issues

Female rugby league referee Kasey Badger

Grant Jones' referee journey

From Left Field - Athlete Biological Passport

Sign-off

Outro

Players, coaches, commentators, fans ... when you’re a match official, everyone has an opinion about your performance on the field.

In the latest episode of On Side we talk to retired Australian football referee Ben Williams, who had a 25-year career in the sport, NRL touch judge Kasey Badger, and Grant Jones, whose path to officialdom was unusual to say the least, about the pressures faced by sporting officials.

Once Australia’s No.1 football official, Williams has seen everything during his time calling the shots. But there’s one match that stands out – for all the wrong reasons. While officiating the Asian Cup quarter-final between arch-rivals Iran and Iraq at Canberra Stadium in 2015, Williams issued 12 yellow cards and one red.

“That match had absolutely everything … a send-off can change a match, at the same time cheating can change a match as well,” he said.

The match was decided in a penalty shoot-out but resulted in death threats to Williams and his family. “For me that’s too far… my family’s off limits.”

He also talks about bribes - the offer of women and secret brown paper bags being left at his hotel door - and the importance of credibility – “it’s your currency after all”.

For Badger, whose ultimate goal remains refereeing an NRL match, it’s the challenges officiating poses that attracts her.

“No two games are alike,” Badger says, “No two situations are alike. You’re continually learning, you’re continually challenged and you need to make decisions quickly, you don’t have time to really think and process and take your time to weigh things up, you have to do things very instinctively and that was something that really appealed to me.”

While she admits negativity and criticism goes with the territory, it’s “a catch 22” being a female in such a male-dominated industry.

By his own admission, Grant Jones’s path to refereeing is “embarrassing”.

“I’m embarrassed to say I would have a crack at referees and that sort of thing and I’d always be embarrassed afterwards,” he says.

When he fronted the judiciary in 2017 for his comments to the touch judge, he was given a simple punishment - he had to referee some junior matches. And the rest is history.

The reaction from his friends?

“A lot of them would argue that you always thought you knew the laws of the game so it’s only natural that you decided to do it yourself.”

Our athlete educator Laura Brittain answers the question, “What is an athlete biological passport and how do you use it?.”

Players, coaches, commentators, fans ... when you&rsquo;re a match official, everyone has an opinion about your performance on the field.
In the latest episode of On Side we talk to retired Australian football referee Ben Williams, who had a 25-year career in the sport, NRL touch judge Kasey Badger, and Grant Jones, whose path to officialdom was unusual to say the least, about the pressures faced by sporting officials.
Once Australia&rsquo;s No.1 football official, Williams has seen everything during his time calling the shots. But there&rsquo;s one match that stands out &ndash; for all the wrong reasons. While officiating the Asian Cup quarter-final between arch-rivals Iran and Iraq at Canberra Stadium in 2015, Williams issued 12 yellow cards and one red.
&ldquo;That match had absolutely everything &hellip; a send-off can change a match, at the same time cheating can change a match as well,&rdquo; he said.
The match was decided in a penalty shoot-out but resulted in death threats to Williams and his family. &ldquo;For me that&rsquo;s too far&hellip; my family&rsquo;s off limits.&rdquo;
He also talks about bribes - the offer of women and secret brown paper bags being left at his hotel door - and the importance of credibility &ndash; &ldquo;it&rsquo;s your currency after all&rdquo;.
For Badger, whose ultimate goal remains refereeing an NRL match, it&rsquo;s the challenges officiating poses that attracts her.
&ldquo;No two games are alike,&rdquo; Badger says, &ldquo;No two situations are alike. You&rsquo;re continually learning, you&rsquo;re continually challenged and you need to make decisions quickly, you don&rsquo;t have time to really think and process and take your time to weigh things up, you have to do things very instinctively and that was something that really appealed to me.&rdquo;
While she admits negativity and criticism goes with the territory, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;a catch 22&rdquo; being a female in such a male-dominated industry.
By his own admission, Grant Jones&rsquo;s path to refereeing is &ldquo;embarrassing&rdquo;.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m embarrassed to say I would have a crack at referees and that sort of thing and I&rsquo;d always be embarrassed afterwards,&rdquo; he says.
When he fronted the judiciary in 2017 for his comments to the touch judge, he was given a simple punishment - he had to referee some junior matches. And the rest is history.
The reaction from his friends?
&ldquo;A lot of them would argue that you always thought you knew the laws of the game so it&rsquo;s only natural that you decided to do it yourself.&rdquo;
Our athlete educator Laura Brittain answers the question, &ldquo;What is an athlete biological passport and how do you use it?.&rdquo;

The official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia. Our mission is to protect the integrity of sport and the health and welfare of those who participate in Australian sport. Hosted by Tim Gavel, this podcast provides listeners with an opportunity to learn about integrity issues through athletes, coaches and administrators talking about contemporary and historical moments.

The official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia. Our mission is to protect the integrity of sport and the health and welfare of those who participate in Australian sport. Hosted by Tim Gavel, this podcast provides listeners with an opportunity to learn about integrity issues through athletes, coaches and administrators talking about contemporary and historical moments.

The official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia.

On Side

On Side is Sport Integrity Australia's official podcast hosted by sports broadcaster, Tim Gavel. Episodes are released monthly and explore the topic of integrity in sport through conversations with current and former professional athletes, coaches, sport executives, administrators, sport scientists and other expert guests.

On Side is Sport Integrity Australia's official podcast hosted by sports broadcaster, Tim Gavel. Episodes are released monthly and explore the topic of integrity in sport through conversations with current and former professional athletes, coaches, sport executives, administrators, sport scientists and other expert guests.

In the latest episode of On Side we talk to retired Australian football referee Ben Williams, who had a 25-year career in the sport, NRL touch judge Kasey Badger, and Grant Jones, whose path to officialdom was unusual to say the least, about the pressures faced by sporting officials.

Advertisement