Referee’s and Umpires are essential for maintaining the highest levels of integrity at every level of competition and play a vital role in making sure our events run smoothly.
There are many reasons why people officiate in table tennis, from giving something back to the sport they love, helping improve their skills, making new friends or just experiencing the sport from a different angle. Whatever your motivation becoming an official is a great way to enjoy table tennis from a different perspective. It’s also a great opportunity to get closer to the action!
Umpires
There are 3 categories of umpires as follows:
- County Umpire: When qualified the County Umpire is able to umpire at events up to and including the national championships.
- National Umpire: After experience and proven ability as a County Umpire a member may take the examination to qualify for the national umpire category.
- International Umpire: Examinations for this category are conducted every 2 years by the national association on behalf of the International Table Tennis Federation. Qualification for this category enable those qualified to umpire at international events at home and abroad.
Table Tennis Ulster currently have 5 qualified international umpires:
- Arnold Morgan
- James Sterling
- Jay McAllister
- Adrian Brown
- Adam Brown
Referees
There are 2 categories of referee as follows:
- National Referee: Examinations for this category are conducted by an external tutor and examiner. Qualified national referees are able to act as referee to events within Ireland.
- International Referee: As with the international umpire category above candidates for this category of international referee must pass an examination organized by the International Federation (organized every 2 years) to be permitted to referee events outside Ireland.
Useful Resources
