Dear Scottish Volleyball members,
We write this letter to express our concern about the escalating issue of Scottish Volleyball members’ behaviour during matches. It has come to our attention that instances of disrespect towards referees, coaches and players have become increasingly prevalent, posing a significant threat to the integrity and spirit of our sport in Scotland.
As we all know, referees play a pivotal role in maintaining fair play, upholding the rules, and ensuring the safety of all participants. Regrettably, recent events indicate a disturbing trend of verbal abuse directed at our officials. Such behaviour not only undermines the authority of referees but also sets a harmful precedent for players, coaches, and spectators alike.
In addition to addressing referee abuse, it is crucial to emphasise the broader need for respect within the Scottish Volleyball community. Respect should be extended not only
to referees but also to players and coaches. Disparaging comments, unsportsmanlike
conduct, and confrontational behaviour between participants are equally detrimental to
the overall health of our sport.
Within each of your clubs, we implore you to take decisive action to curb referee abuse
and promote a culture of respect among players and coaches. In parallel, Scottish
Volleyball staff and the Commissions will look to conduct educational programs to foster
sportsmanship, actively engage with teams and clubs to emphasise the importance of
respect on and off the playing court, and look to further educate our referees as to how
they should utilise the sanctioning scales available to them during a match.
By collectively addressing both referee abuse and disrespectful behaviour among players and coaches, we can work towards creating an environment that upholds the values of fair play, integrity, and mutual respect that help to define Scottish Volleyball.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We are confident that, with your support, we
can make meaningful strides toward preserving the positive aspects of our beloved sport.
Additional information can be found here: https://scottishvolleyball.org/coaching
workforce/wellbeing-protection/. Furthermore, should you want to discuss any of the
matters discussed in this letter you can get in touch with either Scottish Volleyball’s
Welfare Officer, Danny Traylor (welfare@scottishvolleyball.org) or President of the
Referees Commission, Dave Cormie (referee@scottishvolleyball.org).