Professional and amateur football referees have been increasingly victims of violence in recent months on lawns in French stadiums. The remarks launched by Pablo Longoria against the referee of the meeting between Olympique de Marseille to AJ Auxerre or the head against the head of Paulo Fonseca against Benoît Millot last March are proof that the French arbitral body is increasingly targeted.
“” We have experienced completely inappropriate behavior in Ligue 1 and League 2 in recent months, and violence in the amateur world“Said Philippe Diallo, the president of the French Football Federation.
Faced with this resurgence, the FFF and the Ministry of the Interior have decided to unite in order to launch a collaboration to better protect the referees. “We have dialogued with the Ministry of the Interior, the FFF will collaborate with the police within the framework of a national convention”, adds the president of the “3F”.
A collaboration with the police to protect the referees
The arbitrators threatened or those appointed to arbitrate meetings in Haut-Risque can be registered on the Pegasse II file allowing them to protect them thanks to surveillance devices to their homes or their workplaces. This system already exists in the context of the protection of public personalities such as politicians or celebrities. Training regarding a safer use of social networks will be given to them and they will have access to a specific alert button to contact the police.
Other measures may be taken. President Philippe Diallo charged Antony Gautier, the director of French arbitration, to reflect on other means of protection such as the test of on -board cameras or even a hardening of legal proceedings towards the attackers. A report will have to be rendered on May 12.
