Referees to trial wearing bodycams to improve football players’ behaviour

Referees are to trial wearing body cameras in four adult grassroots leagues in England to improve behaviour and respect from players and spectators towards officials.

The Football Association programme, which began last weekend (18 - 19 February), is the first pilot of its kind anywhere in the world.

Leagues trialling the bodycams are in Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Worcester and Essex.

The announcement comes after a survey of 7,000 members of the Referees Association by BBC Radio 5 Live found that almost 98 per cent indicated they had experienced verbal abuse from spectators, players, coaches or managers.

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