Physical and perceptual-cognitive demands of top-class refereeing in association football.
The aim of this study was to examine the physical and perceptual-cognitive demands imposed on UEFA top-class referees and assistant referees during the final round of the Euro 2000 Championship. To investigate the physical workload, the heart rates during matches were monitored by short-range radio telemetry and translated to different workloads expressed as a percentage of maximal heart rate. For measurement of the perceptual-cognitive workload, video-recordings of games were used to obtain the average number of observable decisions taken by a referee. On average, referees and assistant referees performed the matches at 85 +/- 5% and 77 +/- 7% of their maximal heart rate, respectively. Over the 31 games, the mean number of observable decisions was 137 (range 104-162), 64% of which were based on communication with the assistant referees and/or the fourth official. To optimize the physical preparation of top-class match officials, the results of this study support the application of intensive and intermittent training sessions, which should place priority on high-intensity aerobic stimuli. In addition, video training is discussed as an additional method for improving match officials' decision making.
Helsen
Werner
W
Department of Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Heverlee (Leuven), Belgium. werner.helsen@flok.kuleuven.ac.be
Bultynck
Jean-Baptist
JB
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D016526:Workload