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RESEARCH ARTICLE

The need-thwarting ecology of officiating: A qualitative study of burnout among Greek basketball referees through a Self-Determination Theory Lens

Theodoros Rachiotis1* ,  Manolis Adamakis1* ,  Nektarios Stavrou1 ,  Konstantinos Karteroliotis1
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1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, School of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
HPR, 026090051 https://doi.org/10.36922/HPR026090051
Received: 26 February 2026 | Revised: 28 May 2026 | Accepted: 10 June 2026 | Published online: 3 July 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background: Burnout among basketball referees is an occupational health concern with implications for well-being, performance, and retention. Existing research remains largely quantitative and offers limited insight into how referees interpret the conditions that contribute to burnout and its consequences.

Objectives: This study explored burnout-related antecedents and perceived consequences among Greek national league basketball referees through Self-Determination Theory.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Greek basketball referees. Interviews were conducted and transcribed in Greek, translated into English with iterative checking against the original transcripts, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. NVivo 15 supported coding organization, audit-trail documentation, and matrix-based traceability. Self-Determination Theory was used as a sensitizing framework rather than as a fixed coding template.

Results: Six themes captured antecedents: emotional ambivalence and performance pressure; emotional and cognitive strain; institutional and evaluation pressure; criticism and burdened resilience; physical demands and health issues; and work–life conflict. Five themes described consequences: emotional and psychological strain; physical strain and health impact; social and family life interference; institutional and interpersonal pressure; and commitment, amotivation, and loss of identity. Across themes, referees’ accounts reflected cumulative need frustration, linking controlling evaluation climates, competence-threatening scrutiny, and strained relationships to motivational erosion and exhaustion.

Conclusion: Burnout in basketball referees appears to develop through interacting demands that progressively undermine basic psychological needs and the quality of motivation. SDT-informed interventions should target autonomy-supportive evaluation, competence-supportive feedback, and recovery protection, and relatedness-supportive peer structures.

Keywords
Burnout
Basketball referees
Self-Determination Theory
Basic psychological needs
Reflexive thematic analysis
NVivo
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest. No author currently holds a paid position within the Hellenic Basketball Referees Federation (ODKE) or any other body with direct authority over the evaluation, appointment, or remuneration of the participants.
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