A chronic shortage of referees is threatening to disrupt local matches, Crenstant Williams, the chairman of the Bermuda Football Association’s refereeing committee, has warned.

The perennial problem reared its head in last weekend’s opening round of league fixtures with Ireland Island Rangers’ First Division game against Somerset Eagles at Malabar called off because of a lack of officials, while a Robin Hood substitute had to act as a referee’s assistant in his team’s Premier Division match against Somerset Trojans.

Having lost the services of three experienced officials, who have decided to hang up their whistles, the BFA launched a pre-season drive to attract younger referees to the game.

However, Williams said that the initiative did not have the desired effect.

“There has been a call made to all of the clubs that we would like each of them to volunteer two people to officiate in case we are short,” said Williams, a schoolteacher.

“However, that has not been as successful as we would have liked. We have managed to recruit two more youngsters, though, and there are another three coming on board.

“We lost two of our most promising referees, Jari Ming and Precious Smith, a young female referee, who have gone away to school and are hoping to continue to referee overseas. Our numbers are pretty much the same. At present we have 22 signed up referees, a few had to stop because of work commitments and most of our referees are police officers who work shifts.”

Williams accepts that those interested in refereeing might be dissuaded by the abuse some officials receive from both players and spectators.

“That’s the hard part, recruiting people, because of the abuse you see when they go to a game,” said Williams, who has also tried with no avail to encourage former players to take up refereeing.

“That’s something that people need to appreciate. Our officials are working around the clock and still willing to come out and give their time and take the abuse.

“We’re even getting to the point where children are getting involved because of what they hear the adults saying.

“We have to understand that people are human and make mistakes.”

Williams, who revealed that the average age of referees was over 40, added: “We’re at a point where refereeing is at a critical stage and if we don’t attract more people then we’re going to have situations on a Sunday where no football will be played.

“The community as a whole needs to understand that without referees there will be no football games. I’m hopefully it will turn around eventually.”