Sean Slattery: Refs will strike nationwide unless football takes action over ‘abuse and terror’

The NDSL will meet with referees’ representatives on Thursday in a bid to resume fixtures next week. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Referees will withdraw from all football, “nationwide”, unless appropriate measures are enforced to end abuse and violence towards match officials.

Following an escalation in attacks on refs, the Irish Soccer Referees Society (ISRS) today warned that unless full disciplinary measures are imposed on perpetrators, it will bring all games to a halt.

The ISRS said the laws which are needed to enforce discipline are already in place under FAI rules, but for some leagues ‘soft discipline’ is imposed.

“We are not looking for new rules or disciplinary penalties, they already exist within the FAI rulebook,” said Sean Slattery, national vice president of the ISRS.

“But we do want the correct procedures to be issued nationwide, across all leagues and not just by some.

“The rules are there, they are just not being enforced and you can see that with the abuse and terror being inflicted upon our members.

“If this doesn’t happen, we will very definitely enforce a withdrawal of all services, nationwide.”

The Department of Sport have also come out strongly against abuse of officials and urged the FAI to take “appropriate action” against perpetrators of violence and abuse.

It has emerged that two referees were recently attacked and punched in separate games, including at a Dublin schoolboy match, while another referee feared for his life after he was surrounded and verbally abused “in a public park” by players and officials.

Another referee was contacted at home after a game and told he would “be got”.

The litany of abuse has provoked the ISRS to warn that maximum bans and penalties must be imposed from now on.

“We want to see all leagues working consistently to implement the penalties that are already there, and if that means longer bans for perpetrators and fines for clubs, then that’s what must happen,” continued Slattery.

“It’s very hard to comprehend that some leagues choose the softer option, even in the cases of extreme abuse.

“There are some leagues which impose zero tolerance when it comes to dealing with culprits, and this needs to be the norm.”

The PFA Ireland on Wednesday signalled its support for match officials with a video featuring Jack Byrne, Niall Quinn, Aine O’Gorman, Karen Duggan and Daniel Mandroiu urging respect for officials.

While in its statement the Department of Sport urged the FAI and all sporting bodies to provide more protection and support for referees.

“Abuse of officials at any level is wrong and should not be tolerated,” said the Department’s statement.

“Referees deserve to be treated with respect and should not feel unsafe or threatened while they are officiating at games.

“It is important that sporting organisations across all sports provide a safe environment for referees and where abuse and threatening behaviour is aimed at referees and officials, appropriate action must be taken by the sporting organisations.”

Minister of Sport Jack Chambers said he has noted that FAI CEO Jonathan Hill has promised to do whatever is needed to ensure more protection to match officials.

Hill said following the cancellation of matches by a number of Dublin leagues earlier this week, including the North Dublin Soccer League, that attacks on referees “will not be tolerated, in the light of escalating abuse against match officials”.

Earlier this week Tony Gains, secretary of the NDSL and MGL cancelled next weekend’s schedule after referees withdrew their service.

As a result, more than 13,000 players and 870 teams will not play matches in the coming days, impacting the very heart of Irish football.

In a memo to clubs, Tony Gains told of how a female referee who was due to officiate at three matches “was abused so badly from the time she entered the pitch that she decided not to take any more of this abuse from these people — she has now chosen to give up refereeing entirely.”

Such developments are “heartbreaking” according to Sean Slattery, who is also honorary secretary of the Dublin Branch of the ISRS.

“What kind of message does this send out to the many young women, and everyone in fact, that something which is a passion then becomes so terrifying and abusive that you are forced to give it up.

“We as a representative group cannot allow this to happen anymore, and the time for soft discipline and in some cases inaction, must end now.

“I can assure you that if the FAI and the Leagues don’t get this most basic objectives right, then we will very definitely withdraw from all games across the country.”

The FAI insisted on Monday that the actions of abuse were down to a “small minority of players, coaches, officials (and others)”.

“I can assure affiliates across the country that the FAI will do whatever is needed to ensure the protection of all of our referees — without them we have no game — plain and simple,” said Hill.

The NDSL will meet with referees’ representatives on Thursday in a bid to resume fixtures next week.