After four decades on the whistle, Otago referee Richards is retiring, urging better respect and new referees to step forward.
A veteran Otago referee is hanging up his whistle after four decades, and he insists it has never been a regretful day.
Richards, 69, says he will retire at the end of the season after 40 years officiating, a career he describes as something he has put “more back” into than most. For him, the work was about the game, even on cold, wet afternoons, and the decision is paired with a push to bring in new referees.
The key idea Misryoum is highlighting here is that referee shortages often grow when respect breaks down, and Richards believes the answer starts with spectators.
Richards contacted Misryoum about his impending retirement, framing it not as a spotlight on himself but as a recruitment effort. He says the sport has changed over the years, with respect becoming harder to maintain, and he points to the way referees can end up discouraged when they face abuse.
In his view, the most harmful problem is not constant conflict, but a small minority of spectators who cross the line from casual comments into something more hostile. “Why would you give up your time to be abused?” he says, adding that most people understand referees are giving up their own time.
That matters because the referee role sits at the center of every match. When it becomes harder to volunteer, the impact spreads beyond any single game.
Richards began refereeing in 1986 after finishing playing, wanting to contribute to rugby in a way that matched the joy he felt as a player. He started in the social grades, moved through the colts grade, and later to First XV rugby, with country competitions among the parts he enjoyed most.
He also explains that he has always chosen an appropriate pace for himself, noting he never refereed Dunedin division 1 because he felt his skills were better suited elsewhere.. Over time, he believes the biggest motivation was simple: once you are finished, you cannot just step away without leaving something behind.
Misryoum understands that shift from “taking part” to “giving something back” is part of how sports communities keep going, especially when volunteer roles are under pressure.
Now, he is retiring because keeping up with the play has become more difficult. However, he is not stepping out of the sidelines entirely, having already started supporting younger referees and reminding spectators who go too far that the boundary between banter and abuse should be respected.
As he looks ahead, Richards says his goal is encouragement, not attention, urging people to try refereeing and to use the support available through local organisations and other sports. For Misryoum, the message is clear: if referees are to stay, respect has to return to the stands.