‘It’s not about becoming the number one’
Aaqil Jamaldeen feels referees are 'whistle happy' because of the high incidence of penalties in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s leading rugby referee Aaqil Jamaldeen is not in competition with his peers to become the number one referee but rather believes in developing himself with constant self-review and introspection.
The 25-year-old is the youngest Sri Lankan to be accredited by World Rugby as a Level 3 referee having made a remarkable rise up the ranks since taking up the whistle just five years ago. Being the son of a former top referee Nizam Jamaldeen, Aaqil had to contend with allegations of nepotism in reaching the pinnacle of his career as a referee.
A former Royalist, he achieved the rare honour of officiating the Bradby Shield last year but was at the butt end of criticism for his handling of key ‘A’ division inter-club matches last season.
The bespectacled student of accountancy showed that he is a young professor in the art of refereeing with a maturity that belied his age as he deftly answered questions with authority in a no-holds barred interview with the Sunday Times.
He was of the considered opinion that mistakes are part and parcel of the game be it by players or officials but felt complaints against the referee are mostly made by the losing team.
“In Sri Lanka we need to think out of the box. We have to consider ‘are we going to develop or win that game at any cost?’ Those questions need to be asked. If you are a coach, you are representing the country, not that particular team (club or school). Even referees are representing the country. Referees do make mistakes but in other countries they are protecting referees and develop as a country not as a particular individual or society. That’s how you need to think,” opined Aaqil, who made his Test rugby debut between Qatar and Jordan, then at the Asian Sevens Series and Jakarta Asian Games in 2018.
Having taken up the whistle against the advice of his father as a teenager, Aaqil admitted feeling pressure in the early days of his career whenever he came under criticism.
“Those days I used to get emotional. I then realised, there are people who are going to complain against you and must stick to your own process: How are you going to develop as a referee, how are you going to review yourself, how are you going to get opinion from professionals?” he said.
Although achieving Level 3 accreditation is a huge milestone, Aaqil said it has only enhanced his perception of managing the game.
“My friends say since you are Level 3 qualified, you are a big referee. I am still the same. It’s just a qualification. It’s nothing big. It is where I got to learn how to think differently than a Level 2 referee. It’s not about you becoming the number one referee,” said Aaqil, who has ambitions of officiating in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
He feels a referee gains maturity through proper training, reading and gaining knowledge through experience and learning from mistakes.
Asked what are the qualities which make a good referee and the qualifications required to blow in the ‘A’ division, he replied: “That’s the main issue in Sri Lanka. If you get Level 1, 2 or 3, it does not mean you will be able to blow in ‘A’ division. That’s not the actual case. It’s only a qualification, not to referee ‘A’ or ‘B’ division. The behaviour of referees on and off the field, their willingness to learn, their communication skills and of course their performance matters. It also requires sacrifice.”
“It’s not hard. The only thing is you need to review yourself. At least five hours you have to sacrifice time only for self review (after a game). Then I have to send a report to the CMO (Chief Match Official),” he said.
Referees also have their hands full because of the high incidence of penalties in Sri Lanka.
“On average there are 28 to 34 penalties per game. It is quite high. Usually more than 18 to 20 is quite high. Sometimes we exceed 35,” he said.
The task of a Level 3 referee is to circumvent stoppages by reducing penalties to ensure continuity.
“In Level 3 we talk about how we are going to not blow for each and every infringement. There are a lot of complaints from clubs and schools because they are looking for so many penalties, mostly the losing side,” he said.
Aaqil Jamaldeen with Craig Joubert, a Referee Talent Development Coach at World Rugby
Asked whether there is a conflict when referees don’t blow for every infringement, he replied: “Anyway there is a conflict even if you blow or not. People are going to argue. There are many ways of implementing it. For instance when there is an offside on the side where the ball is not played, we have to consider how to implement that. Law says it’s offside but it has nothing to do with the game. That’s what you have to judge. We have to consider the context of game, in which zone, what is the score and ask ourselves ‘do we really have to penalise?’ It’s all about management.”
Also the mindset of players, coaches and referees have to change. “That’s where coaches, referees, players need to come to a conclusion. Are we going to penalise for this or are we going to continue the game? In New Zealand, they encourage players to continue the game rather than penalise. When the skills levels are high, the penalty count is relatively low. That’s where we need to change,” he said.
He is unfazed by critics who feel Sri Lankan referees are generally incompetent.
“Even if you give a decision, people are going to talk bad about you. That’s the reality. Someone has their opinion. This is one of the things which we are not in control. As a referee we need to stick to what is within our control – our self development,” he reiterated.
When there are complaints from teams, referees should ask themselves: “Have you done your own review, have you planned yourself to develop by your own self rather than focusing on complaints? Those things we have to consider, not what people say that you are son of this and that. It’s not what you need to think of when you are referee or maybe as a player. There are many players whose fathers are famous or likewise but it’s not the way we have to think. If the person is deserving, he should get the chance.”
When it was pointed out that he got opportunities which others may not have got, he said: “In life there is always luck. Also there must be willingness to learn to develop yourself. Those things have to be considered. It’s about how you develop yourself. After a game, how you are going to review yourself and improve as a referee in next game. You need to focus on that. Even when you go for a tournament, do not go with intention of refereeing the cup final. Best thing is be honest and continue what you are doing. Always show that you are trying to learn something.”