To reach the top level of refereeing, officials from historically underrepresented ethnic communities must be able to articulate their decisions, manage personalities on the field, and adapt to high-pressure situations.
According to Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), a programme that supports referees from Black, Asian and mixed-heritage backgrounds, the key is creating an environment where officials feel valued and supported before they are judged.
"Your face should tell your story," says Mick Russell, a former Football League referee who coaches at Core X. "When a match is going well, smile." This advice reflects the importance of confidence and composure in refereeing, as well as the need for officials to project themselves positively on the field.
The Core X programme provides intensive training and coaching to help participants develop their skills and reach the top level. It includes workshops, fitness sessions, and peer-to-peer review, as well as feedback from experienced referees who have made it to the professional game.
"A lot of our guys are used to being in a team, but refereeing is different," says PGMO's equality, diversity and inclusion manager Arran Williams. "It's a very individual sport."
As part of their training, Core X officials participate in live matches, where they are coached by experienced referees like Mark Haywood and Mike Riley. The programme also includes sessions on psychology and mindfulness to help officials manage the pressures of refereeing.
The programme's success has been rapid, with more than three-quarters of Black, Asian and mixed-heritage referee promotions into the professional game coming through Core X. However, despite this progress, there is still much work to be done to create a level playing field for all referees.
"We need to support opportunity and development," says Gerd Dembowski, Fifa's head of human rights and anti-discrimination. "That is central to Fifa's work."
The future of refereeing looks bright, with officials like Farai Hallam - who became the third Black referee to officiate in the Premier League last weekend - paving the way for others from underrepresented backgrounds.
"We can't talk about individual success in isolation," says Aji Ajibola, co-founder of Bamref. "We need to talk about a system that keeps delivering."
According to Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), a programme that supports referees from Black, Asian and mixed-heritage backgrounds, the key is creating an environment where officials feel valued and supported before they are judged.
"Your face should tell your story," says Mick Russell, a former Football League referee who coaches at Core X. "When a match is going well, smile." This advice reflects the importance of confidence and composure in refereeing, as well as the need for officials to project themselves positively on the field.
The Core X programme provides intensive training and coaching to help participants develop their skills and reach the top level. It includes workshops, fitness sessions, and peer-to-peer review, as well as feedback from experienced referees who have made it to the professional game.
"A lot of our guys are used to being in a team, but refereeing is different," says PGMO's equality, diversity and inclusion manager Arran Williams. "It's a very individual sport."
As part of their training, Core X officials participate in live matches, where they are coached by experienced referees like Mark Haywood and Mike Riley. The programme also includes sessions on psychology and mindfulness to help officials manage the pressures of refereeing.
The programme's success has been rapid, with more than three-quarters of Black, Asian and mixed-heritage referee promotions into the professional game coming through Core X. However, despite this progress, there is still much work to be done to create a level playing field for all referees.
"We need to support opportunity and development," says Gerd Dembowski, Fifa's head of human rights and anti-discrimination. "That is central to Fifa's work."
The future of refereeing looks bright, with officials like Farai Hallam - who became the third Black referee to officiate in the Premier League last weekend - paving the way for others from underrepresented backgrounds.
"We can't talk about individual success in isolation," says Aji Ajibola, co-founder of Bamref. "We need to talk about a system that keeps delivering."
. It's not just about throwin' 'em in the deep end, but makin' sure they feel valued and confident in their roles 
. I mean, if you're a referee from an underrepresented community, it can be tough to deal with all the scrutiny on the pitch, especially when it comes to managing personalities and high-pressure situations 
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. We need more programs like Core X that provide intensive training, coaching, and support for officials from diverse backgrounds 
. It's a step in the right direction when we're seein' more Black, Asian, and mixed-heritage referees makin' it to the top level, but there's still a long way to go before we have a truly level playin' field 
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. It's not just about officiatin', it's about mental toughness and composure under pressure 
. With the right support and training, we can create a more diverse and inclusive refereeing community that reflects the world we live in 
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. It's gotta be more than just giving some extra coaching to a select few - we need systemic change! 
But seriously, think about how tough it must be to deal with all those emotions on the field - frustration, disappointment, anger... and you gotta keep a cool head? It's not just about making the right calls, it's about being in control of your own emotions. And that takes some serious self-awareness. I mean, we've got guys like Farai Hallam breaking barriers and paving the way for others - that's what it's all about. But at the end of the day, it's not just about individual success, it's about creating a system where everyone has an equal shot. That's the real goal here. 
I mean, it makes total sense - when you're dealing with high-pressure situations on the field, you gotta be able to keep your cool and represent yourself in a positive way. And if they feel supported and valued, it's like they're already halfway there! 
And it's not just about them, either - it's about creating these systemic changes that help everyone from underrepresented backgrounds get more opportunities. That's some real magic right there! 
And it's not just about individual success, but also about changing the system as a whole 
I love how they're focusing on psychology and mindfulness too, because refereeing can be so stressful 
We need more initiatives like this to bring diversity and inclusion to all levels of refereeing! 
referees should be able to stay calm and composed even when faced with tough decisions or difficult players... it's not just about making the right calls, but also how you present yourself on the field 
? The programme sounds like it's doing some real work, with the whole peer-to-peer review and coaching thing. It's all about supporting opportunity and development, and that's something we can all get behind 
I think it's super cool that there are programs like Core X supporting referees from underrepresented communities 
. And it's awesome that they're incorporating psychology and mindfulness into their training 
. That's gotta help officials manage the pressure of refereeing.
. And, as Gerd Dembowski said, supporting opportunity and development is crucial 
. Did you know that a study by the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission found that minority groups face significant bias in refereeing decisions? 
Mindfulness training is a great step towards managing pressure, but we need systemic change too 
. I love the idea of creating an environment where officials feel valued and supported - it's so important for them to feel confident in themselves and their abilities on the field 
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. We need to be talking about systemic change, like how can we make sure that these programmes are available to everyone, regardless of their background? And what about those who aren't in football? There's still so much work to be done 
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I think its kinda dope that theres a program like Core X thats supporting people from underrepresented communities to become refs! its not just about promoting diversity but also giving them the skills and confidence they need to succeed in a high-pressure job. 
We should also see more opportunities for people from all backgrounds to get involved in refereeing.
Referees from historically underrepresented ethnic communities are finally getting the support they need to reach the top level, but it's still a long way off 
The Core X programme is helping them develop their skills, but we gotta remember that refereeing is different from being on a team 
like, what's next? training them in magic spells to make bad calls disappear? also i'm still not sure why we need a whole programme just for this... can't we just have more refs from diverse backgrounds without all the extra fanfare?