The shortage of senior football referees has reached a “critical” stage, according to Bermuda Referees Association president Anthony Francis.

The Bermuda Football Association has implemented emergency measures, including spreading fixtures further apart and relying on youth match officials and overseas referees to offset the shortfall.

Francis warned the situation could worsen in the next few years before young officials reach the required standard to officiate senior matches.

“The numbers are critical, and we’re grateful to the BFA, the Scheduling Committee and the clubs for helping us organise football so we can cover games,” Francis told The Royal Gazette. “We have a maximum of 15 referees but need 33 to comfortably cover First and Premier Division matches.

“You’ll notice games are now spread throughout the week because of how critical the situation is. This isn’t sustainable, but we’ve released a five-year plan based on promising youth referees coming through the ranks.

“We’re excited about our young referees. Some have been targeted for our Elite Referee Academy, and we’re incorporating senior football knowledge to prepare them. Without these 13 to 15-year-olds assisting with senior matches, many games wouldn’t be played.

“We’re still reaching out to clubs for help, as numbers will likely worsen over the next two to three years before improving.”

The shortage has also forced senior referees to delay retirement.

“Some of us have been refereeing for 20 to 25 years, and it’s time to retire, but we can’t because there aren’t enough officials,” Francis said. “We appreciate the acceptance of young referees, but this is a critical issue.

“Refereeing isn’t easy — it requires leadership, reflection and the right character. Over the past three years, I’ve trained 75 to 100 young referees for youth games. The challenge comes at the under-17 and under-18 levels, which verge on senior football. That’s where we lose many senior referees.

“I want to thank our referees for doing everything to keep football going and the Competitions Committee for adjusting fixtures to accommodate us. We’re exploring ways to ease the burden, and hopefully, those discussions will yield results soon.”

Fifa referees are occasionally flown in under the Fifa Forward Programme to assist with weekend matches. BFA second vice-president and referee committee chair Crenstant Williams explained their role.

“The Fifa Forward Programme is vital because we lack adequate senior referees,” Williams said. “Referees from the Caribbean and USA inform me of their availability.

“Last year, we partnered with Canada from January to March, but this season we’re exploring a September renewal. Many referees are involved in Concacaf under-17 qualifiers, Gold Cup and World Cup qualifiers, which impacts their availability.

“When available, they assist and conduct mandatory sessions with youth referees while also working with senior officials.”