Technical Officials
Stay in the Game
What is a technical official?
Sport Ireland Strategy defines a technical official as “any person who controls the play of a competition by applying the rules and regulations of the sport to make judgments on rule infringements, performance, time or ranking.“
Technical officials include:
- Referees
- Umpires
- Line officials
- Scorekeepers
- Timekeepers
- Statisticians
- Match officials
What's being done to attract more technical officials?
One of the key objectives of Sport Ireland is to increase the number and quality of technical officials who deliver and support sport in Ireland.
A Technical Officials Development Plan is being developed in partnership with National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships.
Sport Ireland commissioned a study in 2024 to examine the area of Technical Officials in sport with the view to informing the development of a Technical Officials Development Plan.
The feasibility study involved a consultation process which included 100 Technical Officials and National Governing Bodies staff who oversee the organisation, training, and management of officials in their sport. In addition 686 current /former technical officials were surveyed.
The report aims to inform future strategies and plans through a more in-depth understanding of the gaps, needs, and recommendations for enhancing recruitment, retention, and development of technical officials across sports in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- To put something back into my club/the sport – 71.6%
- To stay part of the sport/club – 56.7%
- A way of keeping fit – 42.5%
- Personal development
Sport Ireland have established an Officials Network to provide a platform for leaders of National Governing Bodies to connect, collaborate and share knowledge on the training and support of officials in sport.
The Officials Network will also help develop a new Technical Officials Development Plan in conjunction with Sport Ireland as part of Sport Ireland's Statement of Strategy 2023-2027.
The first meeting of the network took place on 20 February 2025, and more than 20 National Governing Bodies were in attendance.