近代イギリスにおけるフットボール審判員制度の歴史的変遷

抄録

There seem to be little doubt that referees are indispensable to control games in contemporary football world. On the other hand, with a general survey of the history of football, functions of referees have not necessarily been firm, having been revised repeatedly. The meaning of these reforms, however, has not been given enough consideration by researchers. This article, thus, explores the historical transition of football officials, especially focusing on the pattern of decision-making, and the concept of fairness reflected in change to the system. Before the codification of football rules, the existence of officials had rarely been confirmed, especially in historical documents. In addition, evidence also indicates that officials were rather indifferent observers than decision-makers. This principle did not vary markedly after the formation of football laws at modern public schools, which means that players could take initiative on decision-makings as interested parties. Meanwhile, a main role of officials had been the arbitration of players' discussion even in the 1860s, when the Football Association advanced a unification of local rules. This custom, however, was gradually altered in the 1880s. An increase in spectators and the development of players' skills, following the professionalisation of football, required the reform of the existing umpire system. As a result the Football Association revised the regulations and established the referee system in 1891, which has been the basis of present system ever since. From that time, referees could become adjudicators on pitches. The reinforcement of referees' power, nevertheless, might not definitely demonstrate that the norm of fairness had progressed. The absence of officials or the limited power of referees may not automatically signify lack of discipline. For, particularly at public schools, negotiations and judgments of players (students) were regarded as crucially significant forming the basis of the ideal of self-discipline, which led to the umpire system. In the mean-time, referees' strict control could be a subject of severe criticism. Although the emergence of vast audiences encouraged the introduction of objective decisions of neutral referees, amateur had expressed fierce opposition to reformation of the system. Accordingly, the Football Association had to confront a wide range of difficulties in relation to the new referee regime and these have continued even to present. It can be generally concluded that the history of football officials is the transition of the referee's role from arbitrator to adjudicator. This alteration, however, does not simply designate the straight progress of fairness in the football world. Even after the establishment of the referee system, traditional concepts of self-discipline have had considerable influence and prevented further reforms. In brief, it can be claimed that such a conflict between 'negotiation/arbitration' and 'adjudication' is of critical importance in history of football officials.