UK Athletics is delighted to share Alison Jordan has passed her Gold Referee exam and now sits at the highest level for Officiating and Refereeing.

The Gold Referee exam only takes place once every two years, with candidates nominated by their Area Federation – in Alison’s case, European Athletics. Although she was already a Silver Referee and therefore eligible for consideration, she was still shocked when European Athletics invited her to sit the exam.

Just a few months later, she found herself taking it – only a week after the new World Athletics rulebook had come into force. The assessment consisted of a 30-minute oral exam followed by a three-hour closed-book written paper.

Then the good news arrived: Alison had passed, meaning British Athletics continued to have two Gold Standard Referees in their team.

“To say I was shell-shocked when I read the email with my results would be an understatement. I had to read it several times before it sank in. Then I celebrated – if you can call it that – in probably the most stereotypically English way possible: by having a cup of tea. Although I did push the boat out and swap a biscuit for a chocolate bar!”

Reaching this level is no easy feat and Alison’s journey into officiating began after being injured in her early 20s as a track athlete, and was encouraged to try officiating to stay involved during her recovery. That season, she passed her Grade 4 Track Judge qualification.

“I never expected to take things this far, I have been really lucky to work alongside and learn from some very experienced and highly qualified officials, to whom I will be forever grateful. I think it really was a case of right place, right time – and none of this would probably have happened if I hadn’t hurt my knee.”

Before moving into refereeing, Alison qualified as an International Photo Finish Judge in Prague in 2015.

“There were 28 of us on the course – me and 27 men!”

There have been many highlights throughout Alison’s career, but 2024 stands out in particular. In March, she was asked to step up as Track Referee at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

“I was the one who got to sign the record form for Femke Bol’s 400m World Record, and then later in the year I was Track Referee again at the European Championships in Rome.”

Reaching the top level of refereeing was not a conscious plan. Alison credits the opportunities she was given, as well as the friends and colleagues who supported her – or, as she puts it, “gave me a gentle shove when it was needed to encourage me along the way.”

She was also involved in the WIWA (Women in World Athletics) initiative in the lead-up to the 2017 World Championships.

“I got to spend time networking with and learning from a great group of women from across Europe and beyond. Many WIWA participants have since gone on to pass the various World Athletics evaluations, and I now join fellow GB WIWA participant Lis Henderson on the Gold Referee panel.”

When asked what advice she would give to anyone considering getting involved in officiating or refereeing, Alison’s response is simple: enthusiasm.

“Do it – there will never be too many officials! I fell into it in a way, but I haven’t regretted it, even when getting soaked at fixtures. It’s a fantastic way to get involved or stay involved in the sport. There are always people who will help and support you, so don’t feel intimidated or worried that you don’t know enough. We all had our first officiating experience at some point – and we’re all still learning.”

 

To find out more about being an official with UK Athletics, head over to the Officials page