Referee Kai Steinmetzer: Between football and tennis – a passionate commitment!

Referee Kai Steinmetzer: Between football and tennis – a passionate commitment!

Things often get heated in football, and not just on the pitch. Kai Steinmetzer, an experienced amateur referee, decided to share his perspective. He has refereed games up to the Bayernliga and in the interview talks about exciting moments on the pitch as well as dubious offers from professional clubs, all of which he turned down. What matters to him is freedom of expression and the opportunity to make his own decisions as a referee. “No cellar should make decisions for me,” he emphasizes, thereby showing his independence.

While Steinmetzer also reveals his passion for tennis in the conversation, there is a lot to say about the challenge of being a referee in amateur football. Over 11,000 referees in Bavaria are responsible for conducting around 250,000 games per year. Your tasks are varied: from field and passport control to game management and confirming the official results. This responsibility is no picnic, as schiedsrichter.bayern reports.

The challenges for referees

An important point that Steinmetzer addresses in his interview is the respect problems in amateur football. A recent study by the Amateur Football Barometer shows that 85% of active referees find a lack of respect from spectators to be a major problem. The players and coaches also do their part: 79% of the referees surveyed complain about a lack of appreciation.

This is supported by the results of the survey, which involved over 8,000 people, with 39% being active referees. Many have had negative experiences with disrespectful behavior - and not only that: around 54.4% of active referees also complain about the insufficient remuneration. For many, the lack of financial support is a serious hurdle.

Need for action identified

The German Football Association (DFB) and other associations have recognized this problem and launched a campaign to take action against disrespectful behavior. The demands of the IG Referees are clear: In particular, it is about a minimum sentence of three years for assaults against referees, which in serious cases can even be up to eight years. There is always a loud discussion about the appreciation of volunteer work and the associated remuneration.

The conditions under which referees have to work are simply no longer acceptable. They often not only commit themselves to the sport, but also expose themselves to risks that cannot be ignored. An incident that highlights this is the recent incident in Hamburg where a referee was hospitalized.

So if you look at Kai Steinmetzer's concerns and the referees' challenges, it quickly becomes clear: Respect in football must definitely be regained. The focus should be on sporting fairness on the courts so that the passion and fun of the game can be the focus for everyone involved.