WSF Player Conduct Guidelines

TO ALL SQUASH REFEREES

ADVICE ON COMMUNICATION WITH PLAYERS DURING A MATCH

There has been an increasing tendency by a minority of players to constantly query decisions. These players exhibit the following behaviour that is not acceptable:

Showing constant dissent at decisions,
Undermining the authority of the referee
Intentionally distracting their opponent
Giving themselves unjustified recovery time
Deliberately disrupting matches for their own advantage

The convention in Squash is that players may always query a referee’s decision to ensure that they understand the reasons for it, so as to avoid repeating the same situation, and this procedure is specified in Guideline G19 to the Rules.

The Management Committee of the World Squash Federation ruled on 29 November 2002 that, with immediate effect, the following procedures shall be implemented by all WSF International Referees and recommended to WSF Member Federations as standard procedure for National Referees.

Under Rule 15.5, players are not permitted to request a change in marker or referee. Players who do so should be quickly informed that they have no such right. If they persist, the referee should apply an appropriate Rule 17 penalty for "delay of game"
As directed in Guideline G19, a referee may explain a decision to a player, but no further discussion on that decision is permissible.
If a player constantly and unjustifiably asks for explanation of decisions the referee shall issue a warning or apply a Rule 17.3 penalty.
If a player attempts to engage the referee in a discussion, following explanation of the reason for the decision, the referee shall issue a warning and advise the player of the fact that no discussion will be permitted. Thereafter the referee will apply Rule 17.3 penalties as appropriate.
Under Rule 15.4 players are not permitted to leave the court during a game without the permission of the Referee. Where an enclosed court makes an explanation of the decision impossible a player may open the court door to improve communication, but abuse of this freedom will result in Rule 17.3 penalties after due warning.

This additional guideline has been communicated to both PSA and WISPA and will be implemented by all WSF Referees from 5 December 2002.

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