SquashJudge learning centre
Video review in squash: what it can and cannot change
At professional events, players can ask for a video review of certain referee decisions. Review moments are valuable training material because they show a second, more careful look at a decision.
The purpose of review
Review exists to correct clear errors that are hard to see at full speed. It does not replace the referee, and the referee still makes the original call in real time. The reviewer is usually looking at slow-motion replays and extra camera angles to assess whether the original decision should stand.
What is typically reviewed
The exact procedures vary between events and governing bodies, but review commonly covers the following.
- Whether a ball was good or down on the tin or out of court.
- Whether a let, stroke, or no let was correctly decided.
- Whether a player's appeal was reasonable.
Why review clips are useful for learning
A decision that was reviewed gives you two opinions on the same rally: the referee's live call and the reviewer's considered one. When they differ, ask what extra information the replay provided. When they agree, the clip is a good example of a call that holds up under scrutiny.
Keep the rules of your event in mind
Review procedures depend on the tournament, the number of reviews per match, and the technology available. Always read the regulations for the specific event you are officiating. The trainer shows recorded outcomes from published footage and cannot tell you how a particular event handled review.
Official rules and resources
Always check the current rules and regulations from the governing bodies:
Keep learning
- Understanding interference in squash
- Let versus stroke: choosing between the two
- When no let is the correct call
- Safety, dangerous swings, and following through
- How to improve as a squash referee
This article is educational and does not replace the current official rules. Try the decision trainer.