The Ref Stop

assault after the game but no charges

K

Kent Ref

RefChat Addict
Recently i was assaulted by somebody throwing a mound of earth at me (slightly bigger than a golf ball) while i was waiting to be paid by the home team. It hit me 2 inches below my eye. I had a red mark below my eye for a few days after.

It came from the direction of the losing home team (the winning team were the other side of the FOP).

Even though i told the home manager this would be reported the home team have denied the conversation ever happened and they know nothing of it.

The county FA have dropped it due to low probability of a successful outcome.

Worryingly, if i had been blinded there still would have been no charges as the culprit could not be identified.

I thought the manager now took responsibility unless they named the person who did it.

Another cop-out and no protection for referees.
 
The Ref Stop
The club may have been asked for their response to the report. In absence of any admittance on their part or named individual in your report, the County FA may have found it difficult to gain a successful outcome to any charge.

In other news, Kent FA don't seem to be too bothered about protecting referees and more about protecting clubs who actually pay their wages through competition entry fees, fines, payment for education courses (coaching, safeguarding, first aid, etc.).
 
Kent Ref said:
no, but how could they help?
Click to expand...
They will highlight the incident throughout the local refereeing community and they may organise a boycott of the team. They will ask questions and they will make others involved locally ask questions.

A team in my league signed a player who has just come back from a lengthy ban for assaulting a referee. Immediately the RA have made the decision to boycott this teams games (This is at grassroots level).

You should contact the RA.
 
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Just remember, as referee you typically go up against 22 + everyone else, every time you ref.

So the fact that you are being offered f*** all support is bang out of order. The only people that can truly understand your situation is other refs.

RA will get it.
 
@Kent Ref I’m sorry to hear you were assaulted.

I had a similar incident earlier this year where both teams denied a player shoved and grabbed me. It ended up with the player getting off with no punishment and just an £80 fine for the team.

I was even warned during the disciplinary hearing against the club that I would face “consequences” if I named the club online to warn other referees.

I would advise reporting it to the police. I did so and it obviously went nowhere but it was good to know that a referee assault was at least being recorded in official crime stats.
 
RDOs are supposed to contact referees who have reported assaults. RSUK also have an emergency hotline for reporting assaults, and whatever you think about them as an organisation they are like a dog with a bone and they will fight your cause.

There is a harsh reality whether we like it or not though, and that is without evidence it is nigh on impossible to reach a proven verdict. If the player says he didn't do it, his own team say the same or they didn't see it, the opposition do the same, and there are no independent witnesses, it becomes the word of one person against 20+ others. The CFA should still charge though, as it isn't uncommon for players to ask for a personal hearing and then completely implicate themselves when being asked questions and providing contradictory answers.

The manager only takes responsibility for offences committed in the technical area where the actual offender can't be identified.
 
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