Referee Assault. It can happen to you or in this case me
March 11th, 2010Well today it happened to me during a mens match. I was refereeing two teams, one of the players was upset about a 50/50 foul call, I let play go and he complained. Later he kept complaining about it and I cautioned him for dissent. He continued and I told him, if you want a second caution keep it up, he said yeah I want another caution and I obliged him and showed him the second yellow followed by the red card and signalled for him to leave the field. He kept talking and then proceed to shove/punch me with his fists in my stomach. Realizing my stomach is hard and not vulnerable, he then proceeded to spit at my face twice before walking off the field. I don't have much tolerance for dissent any longer and will warn players once and if the behavior persists caution immediately.
I feel for you, no one deserves treatment like that (no matter how wrong you were :)) Seriously, my mens league usually has little or zero problems with referee abuse and as captain I don't stand for it from my players. I know that most referees are not in it for the money - but more for exercise and participating in the game they love. Sometimes it is selfless and I applaud all Sunday mens league referees (even if the ARs can't get these two facts right - "even is on" and "as the ball is kicked"). But, I nearly always refrain from boisterous criticism and I always ask the referee at half-time and at the end of the game if any of my players have given them problems or they need me to speak to anyone on my team. I am now 4+ years yellow and red card free. And I have seen the profile of refs increasing internationally (collina, Dallas) and I think that this has caused referees at all levels to take pride in their work. Be proud to be a ref! and next match with that squad pull their captain aside and tell him that you will remember the act of his teammate and every captain of every team should be doing their best to insure that the utmost in class is exuded on and off the field.
Well today it happened to me during a mens match. ... I don't have much tolerance for dissent any longer and will warn players once and if the behavior persists caution immediately.
The head referee for Milwaukee Kickers got attacked while reffing a men's indoor game a few weeks ago. Except he got kicked so hard he could barely walk. I hope you filed a police report!
Btw, I abandoned a kids rec game a few weeks ago -- first time I ever did that -- because the coach wouldn't leave the field, which naturally resulted in a mob of irate parents surrounding me, rather than the coach. The problem is that people don't responsibility for their own actions and, needing some else to blame, take it out on the ref ...
One of those parents actually did the finger-in-chest thing to me. The mob eventually migrated over to the field marshal's tent (it was a tourney), where the same guy repeated his finger-in-chest. The marshal later told me he wished the guy had actually shoved him, because he (the marshal) was a black belt. Oh yeah. That would have been sweet. You never know who you are messing with ...
Just a couple days ago I was the AR on a HS playoff game, 15 degrees, snow and ice covered field. CR was a National referee and kept everything tight, and doled out enough cautions to get the message across. One team would go ahead then it would be tied up. One team was dominating, and with the score tied, ten minutes to go the less dominate team's star forward came in on attack, and the dominating team's keeper came out to play the ball and kicked him in the groin as he cleared the ball; my end. Fortunately CR was right on top of it, and called the PK, and decided only to caution the keeper, who by his reaction, obviously knew he got caught. I tried to calm the offending team down, they were going off on the ref, accusing him of determining the outcome, using profanity, as he went over to inform the coach of the bad news, and escore the keeper off. PK scored, and game ended that way. Losing team rushed the CR after the game, and hurled accusation and profanity at him (last game of the year for them, and some we're seniors). I ran to protect him, (other AR alittle naive, and looked confused). We turned to leave and the losing teams fans had come on the field to confront us. One adult male tried to chest bump through me to get to the CR, and I told him "do it again, and you'll go to jail." Usually for regular season games we have a cop there, not that night. The CR and the other AR took alternate route to stadium clock booth for refuge. I had to get my bad at midfield, and the winning coach decides to come up and thank me and shake my hand. I said, "sorry coach, not in front of these fans." He didn't see the confrontation, so thought I was being assinine. We called the cops because many of the fans were still waiting in parking lot. By time cop arrived everyone had gone home. Just another day in doing soccer.
You can't let yourself get over reactive to these incidents. You have to be professional and do what's expected, and always follow up with a report to protect the next ref. I'm very confrontational, and not too afraid of someone coming after me. Not that I would fight back, but you run, and you look silly. If they're going to do something outrageous, maybe it should be done there, and get this person some help or put in the right place.
I hope you recommended a permanent suspension in your report. The referee should never make any recommendation for penalties in their report. Stick to the facts of the matter and let the league assign the penalty.
Generally we read about it in the papers or on-line and occasionally we hear about it second hand from other referees or league officials.
Well today it happened to me during a mens match. I was refereeing two teams, one of the players was upset about a 50/50 foul call, I let play go and he complained. Later he kept complaining about it and I cautioned him for dissent. He continued and I told him, if you want a second caution keep it up, he said yeah I want another caution and I obliged him and showed him the second yellow followed by the red card and signalled for him to leave the field. He kept talking and then proceed to shove/punch me with his fists in my stomach. Realizing my stomach is hard and not vulnerable, he then proceeded to spit at my face twice before walking off the field. I don't have much tolerance for dissent any longer and will warn players once and if the behavior persists caution immediately.
Alberto,
In my opinion, when he spit at you, it became assault and you should file a police report. Can't HIV be tranmitted by saliva as well as blood? If it can then spitting would DEFINITELY be assault in my book.
As others have said, good job for staying composed.
Nice job, Alberto.
Press charges. This bastard will continue to do the same thing in this league or others until he gets his ass hauled off for assault. If not for yourself, do it for the next guy who has to deal with this loser.
I agree. Let the loser go to court.
Regardless you should take every action to have that player removed from that league. And bravo for not fighting back.
Generally we read about it in the papers or on-line and occasionally we hear about it second hand from other referees or league officials.
Well today it happened to me during a mens match. I was refereeing two teams, one of the players was upset about a 50/50 foul call, I let play go and he complained. Later he kept complaining about it and I cautioned him for dissent. He continued and I told him, if you want a second caution keep it up, he said yeah I want another caution and I obliged him and showed him the second yellow followed by the red card and signalled for him to leave the field. He kept talking and then proceed to shove/punch me with his fists in my stomach. Realizing my stomach is hard and not vulnerable, he then proceeded to spit at my face twice before walking off the field. I don't have much tolerance for dissent any longer and will warn players once and if the behavior persists caution immediately. i didnt realize you were doing MLS matches............
Of course this is talking about a ref that is probably objective 1000000% of times...
But I've known refs that have deserved to be heckled, either for incompetency or shear partiality.
I say in these cases. Let the fans handle the violence, he-he!!!, they have a better view of the field anyway. If the ref can't take it. Hire a bodyguard or call the police. If you are not in it for the money, you better than do very best job you can do.
Kudos, I believe you did the right thing. Not sure what the heck you are talking about??? Regardless NOBODY deserves to be abused. This culture of abusing sports officials is due in large part to ignorant attitudes that place soccer and other officials in a class of people that are below the rest of society. Idiots act at sporting events in ways that they would never act on the street. It takes a real man to yell and scream at an official who is doing his best.........
Hopefully the dude gets kicked out of the league for this
But I've known refs that have deserved to be heckled, either for incompetency or shear partiality.
I say in these cases. Let the fans handle the violence, he-he!!!, they have a better view of the field anyway. If the ref can't take it. Hire a bodyguard or call the police. If you are not in it for the money, you better than do very best job you can do.
Kudos, I believe you did the right thing.
Anyway, I'm very sorry. Just make sure the people at the ref office and the NJSA get the player's name and pass. File a police report too. The do take that stuff seriously, and he'll get a lengthy if not permanent ban from NJSA.
I'm glad you stayed composed. I bet that's tough to do. Let us know what happens.
I don't think you would have lost your badge though :)
Sorry to hear this happened. I'm sure that you know the drill, but for others who may be faced with this kind of behaviour:
1. Write up the incident. Just the facts. If it involves "offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures" then spell it out in black and white.
2. Send the report to the league and a copy the State Referee Administrator (assuming that this was a USSF-affiliated match). Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.
Speaking as a member of the BOD for the New England Over-the-Hill Soccer League, this kind of action would result in an indefinite ban from the league. I don't think that we have ever allowed a player guilty of referee assault back into the league. Mass. Amateur Soccer would likely impose a minimum 5 year ban from any affiliated soccer, too.
Generally we read about it in the papers or on-line and occasionally we hear about it second hand from other referees or league officials.
Well today it happened to me during a mens match. I was refereeing two teams, one of the players was upset about a 50/50 foul call, I let play go and he complained. Later he kept complaining about it and I cautioned him for dissent. He continued and I told him, if you want a second caution keep it up, he said yeah I want another caution and I obliged him and showed him the second yellow followed by the red card and signalled for him to leave the field. He kept talking and then proceed to shove/punch me with his fists in my stomach. Realizing my stomach is hard and not vulnerable, he then proceeded to spit at my face twice before walking off the field. I don't have much tolerance for dissent any longer and will warn players once and if the behavior persists caution immediately. I hope you recommended a permanent suspension in your report.
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