Football: Referees Abuse
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Not only are footballers being subjected to abuse - both on and off the pitch – but so also are referees.
A case in point is the English Premier League referee Anthony Taylor.
It has been reported that, in view of the "expectation of perfection" culture that referees are now facing, his family no longer go to his matches because of the abuse he receives.
For example, Taylor, who is 46 years old and has been a Premier League referee for nearly 15 years, was targeted by Roma fans as he and his family walked through the airport after the 2023 Europa League final.
He was also confronted by Jose Mourinho after his team had lost this final on penalties to Sevilla. Mourinho called Taylor a "disgrace" twice in a post-match news conference before confronting him in a car park, as a result of which Mourinho received a four-match ban.
Taylor is so concerned by attitudes towards referees, that he wonders, at times, whether being a referee is worth it.
He is also concerned about the treatment of referees at the grass roots level of football.
He believes that the 'win-at-all-costs' culture of football is having a detrimental effect on the mental health and performance of current and future referees.
Again, abuse of referees is something that the football authorities also need to keep in their sights!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
