AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain has stepped up the campaign to scrap the bounce

AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain has stepped up the campaign to scrap the bounce, highlighting the anxiety a number of umpires are feeling over the issue.

Ray Chamberlain has had enough of the bounce. Picture: Michael Klein

HIGH-PROFILE umpire Ray Chamberlain has stepped up the campaign to scrap the bounce.

The traditional centre bounce is under threat with the league’s whistle blowers calling for it to be abolished due to health and safety issues.

The bounce has already been scrapped in elite junior competition the TAC Cup.

“Razor Ray” described the bounce as his own “kryptonite” and said colleagues were forced to medicate anxiety due to the pressure of bouncing the ball during matches.

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“I know it causes guys — not just myself — extraordinary levels of anxiety when really they should be focusing on the job at hand,” Chamberlain told Sportsday Radio.

“I’ve got no doubt it would be a really positive move for umpiring and the game in general.

Ray Chamberlain is more comfortable throwing the ball up rather than bouncing it.

“Where it causes the most grief is in your preparation before a game. You should be focusing on the things that matter.

“But I’ve known of guys taking medication to help with their anxiety in relation to it. That’s really unhealthy.”

Chamberlain has umpired 264 games in 13 seasons.

AFL Umpires’ Association CEO Peter Howe told the Herald Sun it was only a matter of time before the AFL’s hand was forced with junior umpires not required to bounce the ball.

“If the bounce remained we would need to chat with the AFL about the impact on health and wellbeing of umpires,” he said.

“If they had a whole range of options to put into place to mitigate the potential cause of injury we would need to talk through those.

“Anybody who looks at this space knows the group of umpires coming through in every community football competition in Australia don’t bounce.

“If they don’t make a decision (to get rid of the bounce) we are only 12 or 24 months away from being in a position where we don’t have a choice.”