ANALYSING THE UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIORS THAT FOOTBALL REFEREES’ MEET

The purpose of this study is to analyse the unsportsmanlike behaviors that football referees’ meet and analysing those behaviors considering some variables of referees. 129 football referees officiating in Turkey’s 1^st, 2^nd and 3rd league of football in the season of 2007-2008 voluntarily participated in this study. “Personal Information and Opinion Form” and “Unsportsmanlike Behaviors Questionnaire” were used in the study as the data-collection tools. At the end of this research, the opinion’s of football referees were evaluated; in addition, we suggest that there are significant differences between unsportsmanlike behaviors made from spectators and number of matches officiated (P 0.01) and whether the referee professionally participated in that particular sport (P 0.05); between unsportsmanlike behaviors made to referee and whether the referee professionally participated in that particular sport(P 0.05); between unsportsmanlike behaviors made to opponent spectators and number of matches officiated(P 0.01); between age of the referees and destroying concentration(P 0.05) and complaining the competitor(P 0.01); between the sex of referees and harm on sports equipment(P 0.05); between referees years of officiating and protest(P 0.05) and complaining the opponent(P 0.05); between the classification of the referees and threat(P 0.05) and behaving against the sporting virtue(P 0.05); between the referees’ officiating league of previous season and incitement(P 0.05), protest(P 0.05), complaining the referee(P 0.05) and complaining the opponent(P 0.05); between the number of matches officiated and disrespect(P 0.05), incitement(P 0.05), protest(P 0.01), psychological pressure(P 0.05), destroying concentration (P 0.05) and complaining the referee(P 0.05); between whether the referee professionally participated in that particular sport and disrespect(P 0.01) and objection(P 0.05). Furthermore, football league division comparisons in terms of the unsportsmanlike behaviors were compared and it has been supported with the data that unsportsmanlike behaviors and their magnitude found to be representing differences from division to division (P 0.05).