Ian Ashworth appointed as Chair of Refereeing Advisory Group

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce experienced official Ian Ashworth has been appointed as the new Chair of the Refereeing Advisory Group (RAG).

After originally playing lacrosse at school before losing contact with the game, Ashworth first qualified as a Level 1 referee when his youngest son was 10 and his Boardman and Eccles team needed assistance with officials for junior games.

From there, Ashworth progressed to senior lacrosse as a club official before moving onto higher officiating qualifications and Chairing the North of England Officials’ Association.

Having been an official for almost 23 years now, Ashworth has represented England at both European and World Championships and has been an Officials’ Coach at three World Championships including at the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego.

Ashworth continues to officiate domestic men’s lacrosse and mentor officials at a grassroots level and becomes the Chair of the RAG with immediate effect, succeeding Mark Buckley.

England Lacrosse would like to place our thanks on record to Mark whose experience and knowledge has been invaluable since his initial appointment to the Group.

The RAG, working under the guidance of the Officiating Advisory Group and National Lacrosse Committee, is responsible for leading on the strategy for the future of refereeing in England.

The Group provides guidance and expertise on the application of rules for the domestic game, works with regions to promote refereeing across the country, and acts as a point of contact for any relevant refereeing issues.