UCFB Future Sport 2018

MARK IVES
IN CONVERSATION WITH...
Mark Ives
“IS THERE A
GREATER PLACE
TO STUDY THAN
WEMBLEY STADIUM?
I’M NOT SURE”
Learn: The FA’s Mark Ives speaking with UCFB students
With players and managers often the ones
who make the headlines, it’s easy to forget
the amount of work that goes on behind the
scenes by dedicated individuals into making
any sport a success.
For every team on the pitch, there is an even
bigger one off of it ensuring finances are in
place, positive media coverage is gained and
hospitality clients are catered for.
The Football Association, the game’s oldest
governing body, is no different. They, above
all bodies, must see that all aspects of the
sport run as efficiently as possible, and that
includes dealing with suspensions and
applying the law to the game.
As The FA’s head of judicial services, Mark Ives
and his team play a daily role in how a season
plays out, and are responsible for imposing
penalties on club officials on and off the pitch.
Mark, who joined The FA in 2001 as county
business development manager before taking
on his current role in 2008, sat down with us to
talk through the intricacies of the job...
What does your position at The FA entail and how
does it fall into the framework of the organisation?
I deal with all of the cases that The FA has decided to
investigate and charge. Once an individual or club is
charged they come through to my team to deal with
the adjudication. I’m also responsible for football outside
of The FA, so step four of the game which is managed
by county associations. I’ve a responsibility to make sure
they operate in a fair and consistent way as well.
What are the typical day to day pressures of working
for an organisation like The FA?
Every incident we deal with is different; it has a different
dimension to it and the responses are different. I know
that I’m going to have to deal with the normal red and
yellow cards that happen on the pitch, but we’ll also
deal with hearings regarding other on-field football
matters. It can also mean off-field matters such as
social media, doping and anti-discrimination across the
game. Another area within my team is the safeguarding
of children. That affects local football and ensuring that
children and young people within the game can play
within a safe environment.
Describe the role of law within sport, and the importance
of governance at an organisation like The FA.
There’s a framework that everybody who plays football
has to adhere to – The FA Rules and Regulations. If
you want to play football, that is a condition of your
participation. We have a consistent approach across
the board. There are regulations for various subject
matters, but generally speaking there is an expectation
of everyone who participates in the game to behave
in a manner that is appropriate and proper. Players,
volunteers, chairmen, secretaries – they have to adhere
to our framework to make sure football is played in a fair
and appropriate way.
What attributes make work experience and job
applicants standout to FA staff?
Is there a greater place to study than Wembley Stadium?
I’m not sure. If you can’t be inspired by working here, then
there is something wrong. It’s a fantastic opportunity if
people want to get into sport and sport law. I was very
fortunate; I was in the right place at the right time when
people were moving across from a volunteer workforce
to paid employment. Now though, with the investment
across the game, there are greater opportunities for
people to get in. I don’t look at this as a job, I look at it as a
real pleasure and I’m proud to work here.
What are your thoughts on UCFB and the
opportunities available for students?
If I was a student I wouldn’t be shy in making
approaches to see whether or not there’s an opportunity
for short placements, shadowing people, and just getting
a taster of what it’s like to work in football. Whilst you’re
here if you don’t ask the question you’re not going to
get the answer. So take the opportunity to knock on the
door and somebody might just open it.
54 | Future Sport