Independent Match Officials Standards Panel praise progress of Rugby Football League

The independent Match Official Standards Panel created two years ago to provide recommendations and support development of officiating in the professional game, has praised the work of the Rugby Football League Match Officials department following a recent review. 

The Panel, which is chaired by Janie Frampton, former CEO of Sports Officials UK, consists of former professional player Chris Joynt, former Premier League officials coach Jeff Pettitt and Sue Maughan of Sport Wales.

Frampton recently conducted a review of the practices in the Match Officials Department and was delighted to see that a number of the recommendations from the panel are now in place. Amongst the recommendations, the department now consistently use Opta Stats to measure, rank and improve the performance of each referee. Following a specific recommendation from the Panel, they also now select from a smaller pool of officials to sit as Video Referees and have refined and fully record the process of club complaints. 

Chair of the Match Official Standards Panel, Janie Frampton, said: “The MOSP is delighted with the 360 review that has been undertaken, and the positive way the Rugby Football League have implemented change as a direct result of our findings. This can only benefit the game going forward for all sectors involved.”

Frampton, who had 26 years refereeing in football and officiated more than 30 times at international level, was joined on the panel by Chris Joynt. Joynt, who played more than 400 times as a professional, said: “It takes courage to have an independent group come in, look at your practices and recommend changes to improve them. Not only have the Rugby Football League done this, but they have also acted on these recommendations and made some changes to the way they work that I believe will benefit the game.”

Rugby Football League Head of Match Officials, Steve Ganson, said: “We are pleased that the Independent Panel have seen the progress that has been made across the department across the last two years. The recent review of our practices by Janie has shown that we have taken on board their recommendations and made some real changes to how we work and I believe the benefit of these changes has been shown in the quality of our performances in recent times.”