Match Commissioner Programme

Core responsibilities

Ongoing

  • Maintain close contact with tournament staff to maintain knowledge of existing or potential issues, both tournament-wide and specific to teams or venues. Manage such issues to reduce and eliminate risk and impact.
  • Build and maintain close relations with the venue staff, in particular match management staff.

Pre-match day

Match management

  • Meet with match management staff to review match-specific planning (run sheet, venue layout, security, medical, broadcasting and media).

Captains’ Runs

  • Attend Captains’ Runs and review match day operations with the Team Manager of each team.

Match day (pre-match)

Represent the organising body

  • Represent the organisation with jurisdiction over the match in all matters relating to the playing enclosure, the conduct of the match and the elements related to teams in the organisation of each match, through maintaining contact with the Venue Manager and the Match Press Officer.

Chair the pre-match meeting

  • Conduct the pre-match meeting with all the match stakeholders.

Terms of Participation

  • Monitor the implementation of the tournament terms of participation by teams and team members and address any potential breaches

Synchronise timings

  • Ensure all key operational staff have synchronised times to avoid disagreements and misunderstandings.

Ensure completion of Match Day Run Sheet

  • Ensure the Match Day Run Sheet is respected by all parties and resolve any variances and issues.

Review venue facilities

  • Review the venue match facilities to ensure that everything is prepared to start the match.
  • Address potential concerns and issues with match officials and/or venue management staff.
  • Review the field of play and playing enclosure.

Liaise with Citing Commissioner

  • In some circumstances, the Match Commissioner is also the Citing Commissioner Liaison Officer. If this applies to you, make contact with the Citing Commissioner by phone pre-Match and ensure that final team sheets have been received by the Citing Commissioner.

Liaise with managers

  • Meet Team Managers on arrival of teams at the match venue and act as a liaison for Team Managers on issues of conduct of the match and compliance with the Terms of Participation.

Attend medical meeting

  • Attend the meeting between the Match Day Doctor and Team Doctors and assist in addressing any resulting issues.

Attend coin toss

  • Attend the coin toss and ensure the correct team calls and a decision is taken by the winning team.

Monitor team kit

  • Monitor team kit and clothing to ensure compliance with Terms of Participation and address any potential issues with Team Managers.

Manage any delays

  • Implement the delay and postponement policies as required.

Oversee team entry to the field

  • Monitor timings to ensure teams leave their dressing rooms at the correct times and address any delays.

Match Day (during match)

Monitor match operations

  • Monitor operations on the field of play including technical zones, substitutes benches and replacements warm-ups.

Oversee team entry to field

  • Monitor timings at half-time to ensure teams leave their dressing rooms at the correct times and the second half is kicked off at the correct time.

Match Day (post-match)

Manage disciplinary issues

  • Liaise with Citing Commissioners, including obtaining all necessary documentation required to facilitate the disciplinary process.
  • Meet with the Team Manager to ascertain if there are likely to be any team referrals and obtain relevant statements.
  • Notify the Team Managers that all Team referrals to the Citing Commissioner must be made in writing to the Designated Disciplinary Officer within 12 hours of the conclusion of the match.

Maintain run sheet

  • Help the Match Press Officer to ensure the post-match media aspects of the Match Day Run Sheet are respected by all parties and help to resolve any variances and issues.

Distribute match footage

  • Obtain match footage and distribute copies to all relevant parties.

Citing Commissioner Liaison Officer (CCLO)

As Match Commissioner, you may be required to act as CCLO as well.

If so, you’re not responsible for making citings. Match Commissioners need to confirm to the Citing Commissioner any discussions with Team Managers related to potential team referrals.

The key function of the CCLO will be to liaise with and to assist the Citing Commissioner. The CCLO will act as the “eyes and ears” of the Citing Commissioner at the match venue.

The Citing Commissioner is often based away from the match venue, and therefore not present in person during the match. There could be a relevant incident which occurs off camera, so the Citing Commissioner may therefore need to call upon the Match Commissioner for assistance.

In this situation, as the Match Commissioner you must liaise with and assist the Citing Commissioner as directed.

The role as defined in the Terms of Participation (TOP)

The role of the Match Commissioner will be defined with the Terms of Participation for the match or tournament within which the match is taking place.

It’s important that you read the definition of the Match Commissioner role with the TOP document, as it will contain information specific to your context, as opposed to the generic information contained within this training programme.

« Previous
Next »