DENVER—Attendees at the National Association of Sports Officials’ annual gathering are concerned that the betting scandal involving former NBA official Tim Donaghy will have ripples through all levels of every sports, bringing increased heckling and distrust from fans.
“This is an absolute tragedy, but we brought it upon ourselves,” said Barry Mano, president and founder of the 16,500-member organization—of which Donaghy was a part. “We bring impartiality. This calls that into question and it will be up and down the ladder. In all sports, on all levels.”
Donaghy is the target of an FBI investigation for allegedly betting on games, including some he officiated, over the last two seasons. He resigned July 9.
As are all NBA officials, Donaghy was a member of the NASO, whose mission is, among other things, to enhance the image of officials.
Irv Brown, a former NCAA basketball official, said the scandal will have the opposite effect.
“You’ve lost the trust of the American people,” said Brown, who served as the keynote speaker at the convention’s opening night, one dominated by talk about Donaghy’s alleged transgressions and how officials will have to police themselves more closely now.
“They’re really concerned,” Brown said. “They know it’s going to give them a black eye. They were talking Saturday night that it’s going to be a whole new ball game. Everything is going to have to be reevaluated, everywhere.
“Instead of people yelling, ‘Hey ref, you stink,’ they’ll say, ‘Hey ref, you cheat.'”
And the catcalls will cut across sports, said Tony Michalek, an NFL official and director of officiating for USA Football.
“It’s going to make everyone look at all of us more closely,” Michalek said.
There has always been a give-and-take relationship between player-and-referee and especially the public and game officials. The good-natured pokes of “Hey Blue, that’s not a strike!” and “Open your eyes, ref!” have been a part of the sporting landscape for generations.
Mano said those jabs are fine but he believes the there will be more critical comments that cross the line now, accusations that officials are “homers” who are deliberately blowing the whistle or throwing a flag—or not—to unfairly aid one side.
“You know, people now have a stone on which to stand and ask questions,” Mano said. “It’s brought bad attention.”
