Laboratory-measured functional abilities and refereeing quality in elite football referees
- 1Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb , ,
- 2Croatian Football Federation , ,
Abstract
Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether functional abilities are associated with the quality of refereeing in elite football referees.
Methods: Seventeen referees from the highest Croatian national competition represented the complete referee list for the 2022/2023 season. One referee sustained an injury during sprint testing and did not complete the physiological assessment. The final analytical sample consisted of 16 referees. Laboratory testing was performed in January 2023, between the first and second parts of the competitive season. The analysed variables were maximal treadmill speed, speed at the ventilatory threshold, maximal heart rate, heart rate at the ventilatory threshold, absolute and relative maximal oxygen uptake, and relative oxygen uptake at the ventilatory threshold. Refereeing quality was determined from official supervisor grades across the season, including the subsequent review of those grades by the national Referees Committee.
Results: Mean relative maximal oxygen uptake was 51.71 ± 4.28 mL/kg/min, maximal treadmill speed was 18.50 ± 1.03 km/h, and the mean refereeing quality grade was 8.21 ± 0.26. No statistically significant association was found between the examined functional variables and season-long refereeing quality. The full-sample Spearman analysis showed the same overall pattern.
Discussion: The small analytical sample limits the detection of weak and moderate associations. The study hypothesis was not supported.
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BibTeX
@article{krakan2026laboratorymeasured,
title = {{Laboratory-measured functional abilities and refereeing quality in elite football referees}},
author = {Ivan Krakan and Josip Tomasko and Ivan Belcic and Dario Novak},
journal = {Frontiers in sports and active living},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fspor.2026.1987062},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719588},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Laboratory-measured functional abilities and refereeing quality in elite football referees
AU - Ivan Krakan
AU - Josip Tomasko
AU - Ivan Belcic
AU - Dario Novak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Frontiers in sports and active living
DO - 10.3389/fspor.2026.1987062
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13719588
AB - Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether functional abilities are associated with the quality of refereeing in elite football referees. Methods: Seventeen referees from the highest Croatian national competition represented the complete referee list for the 2022/2023 season. One referee sustained an injury during sprint testing and did not complete the physiological assessment. The final analytical sample consisted of 16 referees. Laboratory testing was performed in January 2023, between the first and second parts of the competitive season. The analysed variables were maximal treadmill speed, speed at the ventilatory threshold, maximal heart rate, heart rate at the ventilatory threshold, absolute and relative maximal oxygen uptake, and relative oxygen uptake at the ventilatory threshold. Refereeing quality was determined from official supervisor grades across the season, including the subsequent review of those grades by the national Referees Committee. Results: Mean relative maximal oxygen uptake was 51.71 ± 4.28 mL/kg/min, maximal treadmill speed was 18.50 ± 1.03 km/h, and the mean refereeing quality grade was 8.21 ± 0.26. No statistically significant association was found between the examined functional variables and season-long refereeing quality. The full-sample Spearman analysis showed the same overall pattern. Discussion: The small analytical sample limits the detection of weak and moderate associations. The study hypothesis was not supported.
SN - 2624-9367
ER -