Refs turning backs on game: UEFA chief

UEFA referees chief Volker Roth, the man threatened with a law suit by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, today claimed that match officials are turning their back on football due to abuse from managers and players.

Roth, who has infuriated Mourinho by labelling him “an enemy of football” for his part in Swedish referee Anders Frisk’s decision to quit, said the pressure on officials was intolerable.

He said: “The problem is that at grass-roots level fewer people want to become referees because they are only going to be discriminated against. Who is going to do that if you are going to get abused?

“Every year in Germany we train 10,000 referees but another 11,000 walk away from the game because they have lost the will to do it any more.

“It is difficult to get new referees when reporters, TV and coaches are constantly laying into them. Young people say: 'I’m not going to do that'.”

Roth, also head of the German refereeing body, has blamed Mourinho for fuelling the row with Frisk which led to death threats from Chelsea fans. Mourinho has complained to UEFA that Frisk met Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard in his room during the Champions League first leg in the Nou Camp – both Frisk and Rijkaard deny such a meeting took place.

Roth added: “I have heard Mourinho wants to sue me. I’m looking forward to that.

“Frisk quit because he got death threats, he’s one of the best referees in the world. Do you think I’m delighted to see one of my best referees packing it in. This development is bad, referees and their families should not have to live with death threats.”

The fourth official at the game Martin Ingvarsson has accused Mourinho of hounding Frisk out of football.

Ingvarsson said: “What Chelsea are saying is a lie. No one came into our dressing room and I don’t know why they are saying it. I saw what happened.

“There was no chat between Anders Frisk and Frank Rijkaard. They shook hands in the tunnel before the game not at half-time.

“They were together for a maximum of two seconds. There was no chat between them. I don’t even know if they know each other that well. Maybe Anders has refereed at quite a few matches involving Mr Rijkaard. It is very sad that Anders has retired over this, he had done nothing wrong and had a good game.”