Referees wearing bodycams have reported ZERO incidents of abuse across 500 games since trial began – with the FA set to extend their pilot… two weeks after Mail Sport launched campaign to support officials

Referees wearing body cameras have recorded zero incidents of abuse in around 500 matches since the trial began, say the Football Association.

It is an indication that bodycams are a key deterrent against the disgraceful behaviour seen at grassroots level. The FA are now pledging to double their pilot, two weeks after Mail Sport launched our campaign calling for referees to be shown greater respect. 

On our It’s All Kicking Off podcast, we heard the harrowing stories of two young officials who stopped refereeing due to the constant threat of violence. Rhys Baldwin had been threatened with knives twice, while George Sleigh needed metal plates inserting into his jaw after an attack.

Mail Sport also spoke to Anthony Harris, the YouTuber who uploads footage from his games to his channel, who said: ‘The bodycam stops those individuals who think they can do what they want because there would be no evidence of their abuse.’

The FA will now extend their trial to include eight county associations in 2024. Four adult grassroots leagues across Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Worcester and Essex initially took part in the pilot which began last season after permission was granted by football’s lawmakers IFAB.

Mail Sport has launched a campaign to stop the abuse of referees at all levels of the game

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the FA’s head of refereeing Daniel Meeson said: ‘There has not been an incident where a player has been insulting, abusive or offensive towards a match official – and nor has their behaviour prompted a match official to activate their device.’

Rather than recording the entire game, the bodycam captures the previous 30 seconds of footage once the official presses a button, automatically sending the clip to the FA.

Meeson continued: ‘Referees feel safer but more importantly the players and coaches are having a more enjoyable experience when they play the game.

‘The players and coaches involved in the trial have said the mere presence of a bodycam has made them rethink their behaviour before saying something or acting in an inappropriate way towards a match official.’

Charity Ref Support UK have long been calling for referees to wear bodycams, having previously lobbied the FA and IFAB to introduce this trial.