Teen referees report abuse and threats from parents

Ryan is a 16-year-old referee from Somerset. When refereeing games, he regularly faces verbal abuse from players, coaches and managers.

According to the Referees’ Association - which supports more than 2,000 child referees - all young referees experience verbal abuse.

As a finalist for the BBC's flagship Young Reporter competition, Ryan reports on the abuse he experiences on the pitch and explores how it affects other referees.

  • Published