{{short description|English rugby league referee}} {{for|the World War I flying ace|James Martin Child}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} <!-- This is a neutral point of view biographical article, prone to soapbox vandalism, not a complaints department. Please ensure that your edits are a) relevant and b) concerned with notable events in the subject's life. --> <!--PLEASE DO NOT change the middle name without a source --> {{Infobox football official | name = James Child | image = Referee James Child.jpg | full_name = James Child | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|7|4|df=yes}} | birth_place = Dewsbury, England | death_date = | death_place = | otheroccupation = Surveyor | years1 = 2006–2009 | league1 = Championship | role1 = Referee | years2 = 2010–2022 | league2 = Super League | role2 = Referee | internationalyears1 = 2012–2022 | confederation1 = IRL listed | internationalrole1 = Referee }} '''James Child''' (born 4 July 1983)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/referee/full_time_match_officials/james_child|title=The Rugby Football League|website=therfl.co.uk|date=|accessdate=11 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026141133/http://therfl.co.uk/referee/full_time_match_officials/james_child|archive-date=26 October 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a former English rugby league referee. He was one of the Rugby Football League's Full Time Match Officials.<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Child blows time on outstanding career |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61303/james-child-blows-time-on-outstanding-career |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=www.rugby-league.com |language=en}}</ref>
On 19 December 2022, Child announced that he would be stepping down as referee, ahead of the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/64024837|title=James Child to stand down as referee|work=BBC Sport |accessdate=19 December 2022}}</ref>
==Referee career== James started refereeing at the age of 11 years as a member of the Dewsbury & Batley Rugby League Referees' Society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freewebs.com/dewsburyandbatleyrefs/profiles.htm |title=Dewsbury & Batley Rugby League Referees Society | |publisher=Freewebs.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-11}}</ref> Since then he has enjoyed many notable successes, particularly as a touch judge having officiated at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Challenge Cup Finals, the 2007 and 2008 Super League Grand Finals and most notably the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Final.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportfocus.com/newspub/story.cfm?ID=30623 |title=RFL trio head to the Rugby League World Cup - 8th October 2008 SportFocus news |publisher=Sportfocus.com |date=2008-10-08 |accessdate=2011-02-11 |archive-date=29 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629194733/http://www.sportfocus.com/newspub/story.cfm?ID=30623 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
As a referee, his first professional game was Gateshead Thunder v Workington Town on 17 April 2006, before making his Super League debut on 15 March 2009 with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats v Catalans Dragons. This came a week after he officiated the Rugby League Varsity Match between Oxford University and Cambridge University at the Twickenham Stoop.
On 11 January 2010, he was promoted to the RFL's elite refereeing squad for 2010's Super League XV.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/superleague/news_item.php?id=16290 |title=The Rugby Football League |publisher=Therfl.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2011-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323021504/http://www.therfl.co.uk/~therflc/superleague/news_item.php?id=16290 |archive-date=23 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In December 2022, Child retired as a match official after more than 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-19 |title=Rugby league referee James Child announces his retirement |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/super-league-betfred-child-b2248031.html |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== He is a member of the Dewsbury and Batley Rugby League Referees' Society.<ref>[http://www.freewebs.com/dewsburyandbatleyrefs/profiles.htm Dewsbury society]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dewsbury 's Super League official James Child calls time on his refereeing career |url=https://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/dewsbury-s-super-league-official-james-child-calls-time-on-his-refereeing-career-3960280 |access-date=2023-08-03}}</ref>
He combines his role as Super League referee, with a part-time job as a Chartered surveyor for Leeds City Council.
In February 2021, in an interview for BBC Sport, Child confirmed that he is gay, something known to his family, friends and colleagues for some time.<ref>{{cite web |title='It's better to be who you are' - referee talks publicly about being gay |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/56182569 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=25 February 2021 |date=25 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=James Child: Super League referee happy with reaction after speaking publicly about being gay |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/12228927/james-child-super-league-referee-happy-with-reaction-after-speaking-publicly-about-being-gay |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-18 |title=Rugby league referee James Child celebrates marriage to fiance Steven |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/malton-north-yorkshire-jack-russell-rugby-football-league-covid-b2104247.html |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011441/http://www.therfl.co.uk/referee/full_time_referees/james_child RFL profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100206123859/http://rleague.com/db/referee/child_jamie/index.php RL source] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110715191109/http://championshipstats.rlfans.com/Refs/James-Child/index.html RL REFS stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Child, James}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:English rugby league referees Category:English gay sportsmen Category:Rugby League World Cup referees Category:Sportspeople from Dewsbury Category:21st-century English sportsmen
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