Referees’ Association boss worried a match official will be assaulted and killed

Only last weekend there were two more reports of football referees being assaulted in the UK

Paul Field, the chairman of the English Referees’ Association, has claimed a match official will eventually be killed unless more serious punishment is handed out to those who abuse them.

The organisation has written to the British Sentencing Council to suggest changes to the guidelines to increase penalties for assaults on football referees, all other sports officials, and those acting in the exercise of lawful authority.