ABSTRACT

The ‘Letter’ and the ‘Spirit’: Football Laws and Refereeing in the Twenty-First Century

Sharon Colwell

This essay examines problems raised around football refereeing. Initially, the Laws of the Game are discussed, with reference to their historical development and to the related concepts of the ‘spirit’ and the ‘letter’ of the Laws. The contemporary context within which referees operate is then considered, in terms of the media scrutiny of élite level soccer, and the complex relationships between referees, players, managers, fans and media personnel. Finally, proposed ‘solutions’ to refereeing problems are critically examined.