to become a FISA umpire?
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What does it take
Umpires are the unsung heroes of every rowing regatta, silently working behind the scenes as
the attention is focused on the medals won and lost at the finish line. Without these volunteers
monitoring each race from start to finish, maintaining safety and fairness during FISA regattas,
and applying the rules specific to FISA, World Rowing events could not be staged. Far from an
easy duty to perform, the process of becoming an international umpire requires practical and
written testing, as well as three years’ experience umpiring for a national federation.
At any World Rowing regatta, a jury of eighteen to
twenty umpires, a president of the jury, and two spare
umpires will be present and the various umpiring
roles are shared amongst them. Patrick Rombaut,
Chair of FISA’s Umpiring Commission since 2001,
has had the pleasure of umpiring at all major World
Rowing events in the last twenty years, more often
acting as president of the jury. When asked what it
takes to be a good umpire, Rombaut emphasised
how multifunctional the role is.
“Nearly all jury members will be the starter at least
once a session during a multiday competition, so
in educational programmes we underline the fact
that we need to be multifunctional.”
The path to becoming an international umpire
starts with the national federation, who take
an active role in scouting out umpiring talent.
Once selected by a national federation, an umpire
must take written and practical examinations,
if he/she wishes to become a FISA umpire. The
written exam is a multiple choice questionnaire
which covers all aspects of the role of an umpire,
from the structure of FISA itself to the rules in
specific umpiring situations. If successful at this
stage, an umpire will then undertake a practical
examination on four categories: the start, the
finish, umpiring and the control commission.
“An umpire must also be calm, ready to listen
to crews and coaches, a good communicator
and strict when he/she has to make a decision.
Neutrality and respect for the competitors, whilst
bearing in mind safety and fairness, are the main
skills an umpire should have.”
Rombaut emphasised that one cannot
underestimate the number of hours an umpire
must spend at the regatta course and also
highlighted the difficult decision an umpire is
sometimes forced to make.
not fulfil the Olympic qualification rules. However,
we have umpires because we have rowers, not the
other way round. To exclude or disqualify athletes,
who have prepared for many months of years for
such important competitions will not make any
umpire happy.”
Umpires in the the start
tower at the 1972 Olympic
regatta course near Munich,
Germany.
“As president of the jury in Beijing, I had to
disqualify a crew from the host nation, as they did
The pressure of such decisions on an
international scale is noted. Rombaut states:
“We are all human beings, which means we can all
make mistakes. We have to accept a mistake >
