As Jose Mourinho is charged in England with comments about refereeing, the spotlight on the men (and women) in the middle has never been more intense.
Across Rugby, Gaelic Games and soccer decisions taken by individuals are being scrutinised from every angle The leeway for even the smallest error is being squeezed out of the game.
This Saturday at Sport HQ in Dublin a gathering of top referees from across all codes will come together at the first Referee Conference to take place here.
An impressive speaker list of Allain Rolland, Mark Halsey, David Coldrick (pictured above) and many more will be joined by motivational expert Gerry Duffy and Host for the day Rob Hartnett of Sport for Business.
The subjects to be covered include the discipline needed to be a great ref, how to bounce back from a bad experience and how to stay focused.
The conference has been organised by a group of referees led by Conor Fitzgerald and promises to be a day of great crossover between referees across the sporting spectrum.
The hashtag for the day on twitter is #RefConf15 for those with an interest but who cannot make it.
We will carry a report of the day on Monday.
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
