During its latest meeting on May 12th, IOF Council approved a proposal to use a new referee system in televised IOF Foot Orienteering sprints later this year.
The system is a response to the need for quick decisions by organisers and juries if there are complaints or protests during televised sprint events, where the current jury system is not always considered to be suitable and effective enough.
The referee system proposal was presented by IOF’s Disciplinary Panel after an intense consultation period and drafting process since IOF’s Joint Meeting in January.
It will be used at televised IOF Foot-O Sprint races in 2023 – meaning World Cup Round 2 in Czechia and EOC/World Cup Final in Italy – and then reviewed at the end of the season.
The differences between the jury system and the referee system are summed up here:
1. When there is a jury for the competition:
| Complaint | Protest or Appeal | |
| Before the event until the jury starts work (usually the day before the first race) | To organiser and decided by organiser | Appeal (only by Federations) decided by Disciplinary Panel |
| During the event until the jury is no longer active | To organiser and decided by organiser | Protest decided by Jury Appeal (only by Federations) and only if there has been a serious procedural error in the operation of the jury. |
| After the event | To organiser and decided by organiser | Appeal (only by Federations) decided by Disciplinary Panel |
2. When there is a referee:
| Referral/Complaint | Appeal | |
| Before the event until the referee starts work the day before the first race. | Complaint to organiser and decided by organiser | Appeal (only by Federations) decided by Disciplinary Panel |
| During the event until the closing of the last competition | Referral to referee and decided by referee | Appeal (only by Federations) and only if there has been a serious procedural error in the referee process. |
| After the event | Complaint to organiser and decided by organiser | Appeal (only by Federations) decided by Disciplinary Panel |
You can read the rules and guidance appendixes for the referee systemhere.