Technologies for judging, umpiring and refereeing [chapter]

Roslyn Kerr
2016 Sport and technology  
In many sports, referees, umpires or judges are placed under immense pressure to make accurate split-second decisions that determine or contribute to the outcome of the sporting competition. In some sports, such as figure skating or gymnastics, the judges are responsible for the entire score. In other sports the referee or umpire has the ability to make field-of-play decisions that significantly contribute to, or in some cases may determine, the outcome. In order to function effectively such
more » ... ision-makers must have full knowledge of the rules of the sport and be able to apply their knowledge in split-second decisions made under often very stressful conditions. If they make the wrong decision, they are often blamed for the outcome of the game. Given the pressure that these individuals face and the importance of ensuring accurate results, several sports governing bodies have attempted to increase the accuracy of officiating decisions through implementing new technologies in their sports (Woodward, 2013). These officiating technologies, often based on video systems, allow movements to be replayed and judgements to be confirmed or reviewed. In some cases these systems have been developed specifically for an individual sport, but in other sports the push for technological intervention has come from commentators and coaches who have access to more advanced technology than the referees themselves (Leveaux, 2010). For example, the slow-motion replay that commentators make use of on television was available to commentators before it was available to referees. This chapter considers the actor-networks of various sports that have enrolled technological devices for assisting with umpiring or judging. The cases of cricket, tennis and artistic gymnastics are drawn upon to examine how the actor-network of each sport is affected by the new technology. Each sport is followed beyond the point at which the governing body introduces the new technology, to look at how the new assemblage affects other, often unexpected, parts of the actor-network.
doi:10.7765/9781784995201.00010 fatcat:d3y67qferbg63lqawvrnmhep3e