Sports

Premier League referees to receive performance-related bonuses

Published

4 years ago

August 13, 2020

EPL referees will receive a performance-related bonus – despite a season of shoddy officiating.

Despite the unpopular introduction of VAR, officials will yet again pocket some extra cash as they have done in previous campaigns.

A meeting will be held on September 12 to decide on the bonus figure each referee will receive although the total amount remains unknown..

All referees in each four divisions who have taken charge of more than ten games are eligible.

That is unless they have endured a “catastrophic” season, according to Sky Sports.

According to court documents written by Premier League referee chief Mike Riley, it informs refs of the size of their bonus.

It reads: “Those at the bottom of the merit table, and those who complete fewer than 10 matches, do not qualify.

“Payments to those who complete fewer than 20 matches are discounted (by 40 per cent up to 14 matches and 15 per cent up to 19).

“The distribution is otherwise based on a set number of “shares” which are split in the manner specified in the document, with the first ranked referee receiving the most shares.

“A further email is sent on behalf of Mr Riley after the end of the season referring to PGMOL’s Board having confirmed the size of the pot.

“The maximum payment for 2014-15 was around £3,500 and the lowest was under £700.

“Mr Riley’s evidence was that merit payments would be made as indicated unless the referee group had had a ‘catastrophic’ season, which he thought might happen if the EFL was dissatisfied with the overall level of service.”

Referees have been heavily criticised this season following a string of blunders, not helped by the introduction of VAR.

They include Sheffield United’s ‘ghost goal’ against Aston Villa and Giovanni Lo Celso’s “leg-breaker” lunge against Cesar Azpilicueta before getting off scot-free.

Former Prem ref Mark Halsey even called for Riley to resign because the standard of officiating continues to decline.

He told SunSport in July: “Everyone has a shelf-life and the time has come for Mike Riley to step down.

“We have seen a steady decline in the standard of officiating and things are getting worse.

“The implementation of VAR has been a disaster and the buck stops with Mike.

“We need an overhaul and the time is now for change.”

And Ex-Fifa and Prem ref Keith Hackett, who was replaced by Riley as the PGMOL manager in 2009, has also called for an overhaul after blasting the Prem’s use of the technology as “embarrassing”.