Zonal or word-to-word marking in the booth? How interpreters face the challenge of law meeting football in disciplinary proceedings at UEFA

This MA thesis was written to give inexperienced interpreters some points of reference as to what to expect when working in UEFA disciplinary hearing. We identify the theoretical framework within which interpreting in a sports setting takes place and review the literature on the notion of quality in interpreting. We explore in a sources and philosophies of law characterizing proceedings in UEFA's judicial bodies, hypothesising that legal knowledge is critical and more important than football knowledge to perform well at UEFA disciplinary hearings. The answers given by the users, the interpreters and the Chief Interpreter provide a comprehensive picture of users' expectations, the difficulties encountered by interpreters and an evaluation of the interpreters' output. The data gathered also indicates how interpreters adjust their resources to the task and gibes insight into the working conditions. The reader will furthermore find practical suggestions and a glossary aimed at helping prospective UEFA interpreters