Football referees strike over violent fans and players

Amateur football referees in an Australian state are to go strike this weekend because of violent fans and players.

The unprecedented strike will affect hundreds of amateur games in New South Wales.

It has ignited calls for football's governing body, Soccer Australia, and other sporting agencies to step in to cut increasing violence in amateur sports.

The boycott follows a game in Sydney Nepean District league when a referee and his 14-year-old linesman were allegedly attacked by players and fans, reports said.

Nepean District Soccer Referees Association president Neil Seymour said: "The safety of our refs cannot be guaranteed. Something has to be done about this."

Nepean District Soccer Association president Ken Brooke said: "I understand the refs' first concerns are for the safety of their members, but these are so far only allegations.

"If they are proven the people involved could face life bans, but the case has not yet been heard."

In a bid to combat rising spectator and player violence, the NSW Soccer Federation is also urging all referees to report assault and verbal abuse to police.