Decisions and reasonings of top-class handball referees under physical load

Abstract

Correct decision-making under physical load is a central challenge for referees in sports games. Handball referees are assumed to make both a decision (calling a foul or no foul) and to call its reasonings (type of foul, punishments). However, the impact of physical load on these two aspects has not been differentiated so far. Here, in two studies, we aimed to investigate the hypothesised impact of physical load on both referees’ decisions and reasonings. To this end, N = 66 (study 1) and N = 73 (study 2) top-class handball referees performed the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test combined with a video-based decision-making test. Referees’ decisions improved from initial to medium physical load and they deteriorated under maximal physical load in study 1, whereas in study 2 the quality of the decisions was constant across physical load conditions. The percent of correct reasonings decreased from initial to medium physical load in study 1, whereas the opposite pattern was found in study 2. In both studies, reasoning performance did not change from medium to maximal physical load. Moreover, referees demonstrated better endurance performance in study 2 than in study 1. Despite some methodological limitations (e.g. familiarisation with the experimental setup in referees who participated in both studies), the present findings tentatively indicate that a well-trained endurance capacity may support referees’ decision-making, i.e. to make correct decisions and reasonings. Specifically, enhanced endurance capacity may lead to lower subjectively perceived fatigue, resulting in larger cognitive capacities that may facilitate referees’ decision-making.

Features of the development of strength training of highly qualified football referees in the competitive period

“…Breklen et al, (2021) state that high-intensity training 3 times a week for basketball referees results in improved speed performance and reduced reaction time when making decisions on the basketball court. In turn, studies of the physical fitness of referees in handball proved that improving the results of special endurance in the training process significantly improves the efficiency of making the right decisions during the game (Blob et al, 2022). The studies conducted by us in the competitive period of football referees confirm the need to include high-intensity exercises for the development of different types of endurance in the training microcycles, but in contrast to this, the referee must have a certain reserve of strength of the muscle groups that are most involved in such work, which will enable the body to withstand such a load.…”

Influence of physical fitness on decision-making of soccer referees throughout the match

“…These data are agreeing with the previous research carried out [ 27 , [30] , [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] ] and that indicated a decrease in precision at the end of the match. These results could suggest that the appearance of fatigue caused by the physical demands of the match [ 35 ] and the characteristic intensity of this type of competition, could affect the correct assessment, subject to individual cognitive abilities [ 36 ]. In fact, if to the previous statement, we add as potential stress factors the high physical stress during the matches to which the main and assistant SRs [ 37 ] are subjected and the high pressure to make decisions in front of large crowds could be explained by the previous suggestions.…”