The Scottish Petanque Association administers the training and qualification of petanque umpires in Scotland.

Umpires	Grade
Mags Montgomery	SPA Senior Umpire
Colin Montgomery	SPA Umpire
Derek Adam	SPA Umpire
Colin Stewart	SPA Umpire

We welcome any SPA member who is an experienced player who would like to consider training to become an umpire. A candidate should:

• Have a strong understanding of the Official Rules of the Sport of Petanque and of the Tir de Precision discipline.
• Be physically capable of performing umpire’s duties, which can involve long periods of standing and frequent kneeling.  Steady hands and good eyesight are also a must.
• Possess and know how to use the instruments umpires need to perform their duties.
• Command respect from competitors and be able to articulate decisions concisely and correctly.
• Be able to diffuse conflicts and not make matters worse.
• Be willing to share knowledge and experiences with others.

The SPA has two grades of qualified umpire:

SPA Umpire: Candidates must be nominated by their club or an officer of the SPA and must have played competitive petanque (in national competitions) for a minimum of 2 years.  The qualification is awarded following attendance of an Umpire’s Course and on achieving a 70% pass mark in an accredited Umpire’s Exam.

SPA Senior Umpire: Candidates must be nominated by the Scottish Petanque Association National Executive Committee and have completed a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a SPA Umpire.  The qualification is awarded following attendance of an Umpire’s Course and on achieving an 80% pass mark in an accredited Umpire’s Exam. This qualification is equivalent to Grade 3 – National Umpire.

SPA Umpires and SPA Senior Umpires are required to attend an Umpire’s Course at least every four years to maintain their current SPA qualification and prior to sitting an examination to upgrade their SPA qualification.

Umpires who wish to progress further may wish to consider:

European Umpire: Candidates must be under 50 years of age, must be nominated by the Scottish Petanque Association National Executive Committee and must have completed a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a SPA Senior Umpire.  The examination is set and the qualification is awarded by the CEP.

International Umpire: Candidates must be under 55 years of age, must be nominated by the Scottish Petanque Association National Executive Committee and must have completed a minimum of 2 years’ experience as a European Umpire.  The examination is set and the qualification is awarded by the FIPJP.

SPA Umpires Code

All SPA Umpires must:

• Hold a current SPA International Petanque Licence
• Arrive at each event well prepared and in good time to liaise with the organisers regarding the format and arrangements for the competition and to ensure the play are has been set up correctly.
• Be in possession of the necessary equipment to perform the duties of an umpire at every event.
• Be impartial.
• Have a friendly manner to all players and spectators, being firm but fair as necessary.
• Present a professional image and be appropriately dressed when performing umpire duties.
• Not smoke, use e-cigarettes or consume alcohol when performing umpire duties.
• Watch for strict adherence to the Official Rules of the Sport of Petanque and any additional competition specific rules that also apply.
• Ensure competitions progress smoothly and without excessive delays.
• Always have regard for the health and safety of players and spectators.
• Never criticise another umpire’s decision.
• Maintain a written record of each competition at which they have officiated and submit reports to the SPA Umpires Committee and the SPA National Executive Committee as and when required.
• Be willing to discuss the rules, offer opinions and share best practice with other umpires and members of the SPA.
• Commit to maintaining knowledge by attending umpire’s courses, as well as keeping up to date with rule changes or new interpretations.
• Commit to improving umpiring standards in Scotland by contributing to the work of the SPA Umpires Committee.

SPA Umpires Commission

The SPA Umpires Commission is comprised of all qualified umpires who are members of the SPA.  The Chair is the SPA National Umpire and, in the event of a tied vote, the Chair shall have the casting vote.

The purposes and aims of the SPA Umpires Committee are to:

• Oversee the training, mentoring and qualification of umpires in Scotland.
• Liaise with other petanque federations, confederations and umpires as appropriate to ensure umpiring in Scotland is consistent with global standards.
• Ratify current interpretations of particular rules or situations to ensure umpires in Scotland adopt a consistent approach.
• Encourage more individuals to become umpires.
• Improve knowledge of The Official Rules of the Sport of Petanque among the wider SPA membership.
• Report to the National Executive Committee as required.
• Approve nominations for umpire exam candidates, taking into consideration eligibility and experience requirements, and obtaining written evidence of umpiring experience as necessary.