'I've had death threats' ex-rugby league referee Ben Thaler speaks out on dangers of social media

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Former top referee Ben Thaler has called for more education about the harmful impact social media can have on people in the public eye.

Thaler hung up his whistle earlier this year, but remains one of Betfred Super League’s leading video referees and is in charge of recruitment and development of match officials for the RFL. He will come out of retirement on Sunday when Leeds Rhinos’ AMT Headingley stages the hybrid 745 Game between teams of rugby league and union all stars, in aid of motor neurone disease causes.

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The fixture, combining elements of both rugby codes, was the brainchild of Rhinos legend Rob Burrow – who died in June – and fellow MND sufferer Ed Slater, an ex-Gloucester and Leicester Tigers star. It comes at the end of a week when referees hit the headlines after video emerged of Premiership football official David Coote allegedly making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp.

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Ben Thaler retired as a referee earlier this year. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.Ben Thaler retired as a referee earlier this year. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.
Ben Thaler retired as a referee earlier this year. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Coote has been suspended pending an investigation and Thaler stressed he didn’t want to comment on that particular case. But he did admit constant social media scrutiny has piled extra pressure on referees in rugby league, as well as football.

“I had a fake account before I even went on Twitter,” Thaler recalled. “It said ‘I like going out on Friday afternoons and cocking up games of rugby league’. Some people think that's true – even I almost fell for it!

“When I started there was no such thing as social media. Social media can sometimes make the job intolerable really; the personal attacks only have a detrimental effect and the well-being of the official has to be taken into account.

“Several of my colleagues have had death threats and I've had my share of them myself. Some have gone to an extreme and you have to be so careful these days with what you do and say. It's quite said that you have to think before you speak because of the dramatic effect it can have on you later in life.”

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Rob Burrow’s children Maya, Jackson and Macy deliver the match ball to referee Ben Thaler before Leeds Rhinos' MND awareness game in 2023. Thaler is coming out of retirement for the hybrid 745 Game, devised by Burrow, on Sunday. Picture by Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.Rob Burrow’s children Maya, Jackson and Macy deliver the match ball to referee Ben Thaler before Leeds Rhinos' MND awareness game in 2023. Thaler is coming out of retirement for the hybrid 745 Game, devised by Burrow, on Sunday. Picture by Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.
Rob Burrow’s children Maya, Jackson and Macy deliver the match ball to referee Ben Thaler before Leeds Rhinos' MND awareness game in 2023. Thaler is coming out of retirement for the hybrid 745 Game, devised by Burrow, on Sunday. Picture by Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.

Thaler was on the wrong end of a social media storm four years ago. “I had a situation where I was accused of something and was then completely exonerated eight weeks later,” he pointed out. “But for those eight weeks, social media was just rife. Sadly , after 24 years and refereeing hundreds and hundreds of games, you put my name in Google and that's the first thing that comes up.”

Of what can be done to protect the welfare of officials, Thaler insisted: “We need to educate people more. I seriously think that by educating people there will be a greater understanding of the impact their actions could have. It's 2024 now and social media can have so much impact on your future and the well-being of yourself and your family. Referees are human, like players and coaches and supporters.

“In my 30-year involvement in rugby league, I've never known a referee go out with a preconceived idea to throw something or make a certain decision. What people don't see on the officiating side is how it affects officials when they get something wrong. It has a massive knock-on effect on you personally.”

Thaler will share refereeing duties on Sunday with rugby union official Frank Murphy. He said: “My retirement lasted about 20 minutes, because when it was announced Lindsey [Burrow, Rob’s wife] messaged me to say congratulations and would I do her a favour? It’s not a favour, it’s an honour.”

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