Veteran referee does his job for the love, not the money

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Mandaue City, Cebu

A lot is demanded of referees. They are expected to put in long hours and uphold fairness, while taking a verbal and sometimes physical battering when they make an unfavorable decision.

And it is not like they are doing it for the money.

Jesse Tulle, the longest-serving karate referee in the country who is current at the SEA Games, knows all too well that refereeing is a thankless job. The lack of attention to their welfare has not changed since he started refereeing for national competitions in 1979.

"But we dedicate ourselves to karate out of love for the sport, so we've learned to accept the poor attention," said Jesse, who gained accreditation for international contests in Australia in 1981.

Although athletes and other sports officials receive stipends from the National Sports Council and sports organizations, referees, who must take time off from their regular jobs for officiating duties, have to foot the bill for their expenses.

The plight of his colleague Frans Matondang, who has been hospitalized in Cebu for a digestive disorder, is on his mind, especially as it is unclear who will pay Frans' hospital bills.

National karate team manager Madju Dharyanto recognized the importance of referees, especially in judging the minute differences between athletes in a hard-fought contest.

In a multisport event like the SEA Games, with much prestige riding on who finishes where in the medal standings, Madju said every country had an unspoken understanding that their national referees would give a little help to their athletes.

But those referees can also face a backlash from a disgruntled losing national team. "In that situation, we often become the scapegoats, and are considered to have not 'helped' them win," Jesse said.

The 58 year old is one of only eight internationally accredited referees from his homeland. "Reaching the international level isn't easy, the requirements include seniority, experience and knowledge-based tests."

For the 23rd SEA Games, Jesse was joined by Frans, Ki Yani Mahdi and Donald Kolopita, who are all international referees.

Most of the referees were once athletes themselves; Jesse competed on the local level, while Ki Yani triumphed in the 1980 National Games.

The referees do have one "perk" -- international travel.

"That is the benefit we get. In the last four Asian Games, I was on the referees' team," Jesse said.

Except for one drawback. "I still remember how we had to pay for accommodation in the 2002 Asian Games," he said of the event in Busan, South Korea.