As an official you are responsible for ensuring the rules of the game are followed and that participants are not subject to discrimination or unsafe practices. Monitoring the behaviour of unruly spectators or badly behaved parents is not your concern – however, if this behaviour affects play or breaches the sport’s policies and regulations then you need to take action.

If you’re being abused or children participating in the sport are being subjected to foul language or verbal abuse, remember the following points:

• stay calm, be professional and remain in control
• speak to the coach of the club concerned at half time and ask that he or she control the parents’ behaviour 
• call time out if the abuse is extreme and ask the coach to speak to the parents concerned   
• suspend play if the behaviour gets out of hand – this should only be used as a last resort
• call the police if you feel threatened or seriously worried about the level of abuse and hostility   
• report the behaviour to the club or sport