Refereeing after COVID-19 lockdown: psychological effects on elite referees
Abstract
This work explores the effects that lockdown by COVID-19 had on the group of elite Spanish referees who were selected to officiate the completion of the 2019-2020 season competitions of the highest categories of their respective sports: the ACB basketball league (N = 19) and the main futsal leagues (N = 32), which were carried out with all participants, athletes and referees, coming together in special health measures conditions, after lifting the first lockdown measures, during the first wave of the pandemic. To know the effects of the lockdown, respondents answered an ad hoc survey, and the PANAS scales to know their mood. The results showed that the aspects the group missed the most due to the cessation of sporting activity were competition, refereeing and teammates. Significant differences were found between referees of both groups, the effect size of these differences was small in the competition variable (r = .278) and medium in teammates (r = .446). The aspects that concerned them the most were their loved ones’ health and the global economy, finding significant differences and a medium effect size between referees of both sports regarding the health of their loved ones (r = .44). The competencies that they expected to be most affected by inactivity were physical and psychological, finding significant differences between both sports, with a small effect size in the psychological ones (r = .44). Among the psychological competences, they expected to be most affected concentration and decision making, finding significant differences and a medium effect size between the referees of both sports in terms of decision making (r = 0.321). The results show a group that felt safe with the measures adopted to prevent contagion in the restarting of the competitions, although they stated that they were going to limit the interaction with the participating athletes. Regarding mood state, the positive affect was higher than the negative one. Finally, they considered that sports psychology was useful to face situations like those of that time, finding significant differences between both groups of referees and with a large effect size (h = .818), so it is recommended that the refereeing authorities to include sports psychology services to maintain and increase refereeing sports performance.
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