 "Pierluigi Collina underlined that refereeing is tough job and officials deserve more resect. Image: Reuters")
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina, arguably the greatest football official of all time, feels that the rising hatred against referees could become the “cancer that could kill football”.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver has recently been subjected to online abuse and threats after influential decisions in games involving Arsenal and Liverpool. In Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Jose Moruinho has consistently criticised the refereeing in the league .
Collina feels the atmosphere for referees in the game was “never easy,” but it has become worse with time.
“It was never easy,” Collina told Sky News. “So I can say that it is worse now than before.”
“The responsibility of making a decision is something important. The interest is very big, particularly at the top level. So it’s difficult.”
Collina says social media has made things worse
The 65-year-old Italian, who officiated the 2002 World Cup final, feels the advent of social media has made things worse for the referees.
“This probably becomes worse compared to my time when social networks were not existing,” Collina said.
Another aspect that Collina discussed was the abuse that referees are experiencing in youth football, which he feels can damage the game massively as the young players will in the future go onto become the citizens of the next generation.
“Different is the matter of the abuse towards referees, particularly in grassroots and youth football. This is something that we need to consider.”
“I spoke of a cancer that could kill football,” Collina said. “I’m still convinced that it’s not understandable that in youth matches, parents of the boys and girls who are playing football are those who are abusing the referee who is helping.
“They are making the experiences that could be important for the future. Not [only] as a footballer, because probably that 0.0001% will become a professional footballer, but they all become women and men. And that experience they learned as a young footballer may help them in their life.”