Carrying a Flag Decreases the Sprint Performances of the Soccer Assistant Referees

Surhat Muniroglu, Erdem Subak

Ankara University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Turkey

Background: Successful sprinting performance is very important for soccer assistant referees to track offside positions throughout the match. Although soccer players do not carry any objects in their hands while sprinting, soccer assistant referees are obliged to carry a flag during the match. 

Objectives: In this research, it was examined whether carrying a flag affects the sprinting performance of soccer assistant referees. 

Methods: For this purpose different sprinting lengths, 5 m, 10 m, 20 m and 30 m were performed by soccer referees with and without carrying a flag. In addition, it was analyzed whether the starting sprinting positions affected sprinting performances of soccer referees. Moreover, flag training workouts were added to the training programs of referees and their sprinting performances carrying a flag were retested after a period of 5 months. 

Results: Our results showed that carrying a flag decreases sprinting performances of soccer assistant referees significantly (P< 0.05). In addition, it was observed that adding flag workouts to the trainings of soccer assistant referees for 5 months improved their sprint performance significantly (P< 0.05). No difference in sprinting performance was observed regarding the starting sprinting positions of soccer referees.

Conclusions: Carrying a flag decreases sprinting performance of assistant referees which can be improved by additional flag carrying workouts.