The Effect of Physiological Load during Matches on the Quality of Refereeing in Handball Referees

Background. Referees are an integral part of every handball match which is considered a high-intensity activity and they need to follow the action as close as possible to avoid mistakes in their decisions. Objectives. This research aimed to determine the physiological loads of referees during handball matches and whether a higher physiological load during the match has a significant effect on the quality of refereeing. Also, RPE was tested to determine if referees are aware of loads during the match. Methods. The subject sample consisted of 32 handball referees in Premier Croatian handball. The first phase of research was conducted in the laboratory with functional abilities tests and the second phase was the measurement of physiological loads and quality of refereeing on official matches. Results. The correlation of physiological loads (time above anaerobic threshold zone) and quality of refereeing showed no significant correlation (R=0.25/R²=0.06/p<0.18), while RPE estimations of referees correlate with measured physiological demands during matches (r=0.55, p<0.05). Physiological loads of handball referees during the match is a high-intensity activity with an average energy expenditure of 1025.37±210.19 kilocalories. Conclusion. Referees are exposed to high physiological loads during handball matches, but there is no correlation with the quality of refereeing measured in time above the anaerobic threshold zone. Referees should conduct programmed training to increase their level of functional abilities with special emphasis on increasing anaerobic capacity which is not satisfactory along with their lactic acid tolerance.