(Reuters) - The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is reviewing its selection criteria for referees after 10 officials in England raised concerns about potential barriers to progression and feedback provided to them based on their physical appearance.
An external investigation commissioned by the RFU found that despite the lack of a formal policy, referees' weight, size or shape had been part of their assessment criteria regardless of whether they passed fitness assessments.
"The RFU acknowledges this is unacceptable and is committed to addressing these practices to ensure physical appearance will not form part of selection criteria in future and apologises for the negative impact this has had on the referees concerned," the governing body said on Thursday.
"The report also identified these criteria as being recognised at the highest levels of officiating and that this appears to have had a trickle-down effect."
The report recommended the RFU assess its guidelines to clarify the criteria being used and issue a code of conduct for match official developers regarding the expected practices concerning body weight, size and shape.
The RFU must also ensure its policies for referees' promotion and development are transparent and communicate reporting mechanisms to those who wish to raise concerns about feedback regarding their physical appearance, the report said.
The governing body said it had already begun the process of implementing a new code of conduct, which will be reviewed annually, and will finish the process this year.
Former referee George Richardson, who made the initial complaint, was pleased to see the RFU taking the matter seriously.
"My primary motivation for raising the complaint was to ensure there is cultural change around this issue and to ensure that in the future assessments are based on ability to do the job, not physical attributes," Richardson said.
"I wanted to make sure that learning has taken place across the RFU refereeing pathway, so that the best referees within the country can get to the top and rugby really can be 'the all-inclusive game'."
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing bu Ken Ferris)
