Study On The Inevitability Of The Professionalization Of Referees In CSL

Most world-leading professional football leagues around the world have implemented the professionalization of referees,which demonstrates to us that the professionalization of referees,an inevitable course for football development,is both a state and a progressive process.Professional referees are those who regard referee' s work as their occupation and main economic sources,with unique professional quality,code of conduct and referee skills,and are able to spend enough time and energy on their careers with constant high-level abilities.This article is based on the theories of institutional innovation and the content of professionalization,using research methods such as literature review,specialist interview,statistical analysis and logical reasoning to study the referees and assistant referees who have worked in CSL in season 2017.The conclusion is that referees in CSL have the incentives to professionalize,and the internal and external conditions fully supports their professionalization.It can be shown in several aspects:The subjective motivation is that the improvement of Chinese football level requires the professionalization of CSL referees.In the aspects of internal factors,CSL referees are qualified for professionalization.The reasons are as follows.At present,compared with the situation in 2011,the average age of China's high-level football is lower.The average age of China' s international referees and the average age of referees engaged in the 2016 AFC World Cup Qualifier of 12 PMAs are almost the same,which conforms to FIFA and AFC' s advocacy of younger-age trend of high-level referees.In last three years,the increasing participations of China' s international referees in AFC matches,especially in the AFC Champions League,indicate that China's international referees have entered the first-tier ranks of Asia.At present,CSL referees' physical fitness shows a positive trend,the excellent rate of international referees,as well as national referees,is getting higher and higher.The referees focus more on scientific training,which has become the normal state for most of them.CSL referees are highly educated and of high-quality professional skills and conducts,all of them have acquired Bachelor' s or higher degree,nearly half of them have gained Master' s degree.CSL referees' own needs for professionalization are obvious.External factors also spurs the professionalization of CSL referees.First of all,the reform at the national level guarantees the professionalization of CSL referees from the policy perspective.Second,all-round football reform promotes development and provides a better atmosphere.Third,the competent authorities have paid a lot of efforts in the professionalization of CSL referees.The competent authorities have enlisted the implementation of professional referee system in their 2018 reform plan,and VAR(video assistant referee)will be carried out in the next season of CSL.Fourth,CSL' s rapid development of financial strength has met the economic conditions for the professionalization of CSL referees.In world-leading football countries,the main developmental patterns are professional referee system and semi-professional referee system.Semi-professional football referee system in Germany and professional football referee system in Japan can be good references for the development of professionalization of CSL referees.