Referees involved around Dublin ameteur and underage soccer games are set to go on strike after several incidents of assaults in the capital
According to a report by Extratime.ie more than 230 incidents of soccer referees being physically assaulted, threatened or abused at matches have happened across the country since the start of the year.
ISRS honorary secretary Seán Slattery told the publication two weeks ago, : “One referee was kicked by a player, another was headbutted. And it's very normal to have two or three complaints about referee abuse a week across our eight leagues.'
The 175 members of the Dublin branch of the Irish Soccer Referees Society (ISRS) voted unanimously to withdraw services between 18 November and 4 Decemberhttps://t.co/4kM113fliv
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 4, 2022
Now it has been communicated by the Irish Soccer Referees’ Society (ISRS) branch that they have unanimously voted for strike action.
A ballot was taken at Thursdays meeting where there were 175 in favour of the action, with zero objections or abstentions.
“We will be withdrawing our services from all football, including Futsal and including friendlies, from Friday November 18 until Friday December 2, 2022 (both dates inclusive),” he confirmed.
The FAI have responded to the strike by saying they understand why officials are taking the stance
“”The Football Association of Ireland acknowledges and understands the decision taken by the Dublin branch of the Irish Soccer Referees' Society (ISRS) to strike from November 18th,” started the statement.
“The FAI has recently discussed the specific matters raised by the Dublin branch with the national representative of the ISRS will now meet with the Dublin branch without delay to discuss their issues, in an effort to resolve this matter ahead of the planned strike.
“The Association again reiterates that all referees must be treated with respect and reminds players, coaches, officials and supporters of their responsibilities in this regard.”
This comes a year after Johnathan Hill, the FAI CEO Johntan Hill said there would be zero tolerance in relation to abuse of match officials
"The Football Association of Ireland has promised Irish referees that any abuse directed at them in the course of their duties will not be tolerated and will be punished after the FAI became aware of the action taken by referees in Dublin to withdraw their services from games this coming weekend," the FAI said in a statement
"The FAI has been informed that this action, which has led to a number of postponements in affected Leagues, was taken after a number of referees were abused at fixtures last weekend and in light of escalating abuse against match officials."
FAI statement on the abuse of referees ➡️ https://t.co/SuOfq3qC4S pic.twitter.com/3MZfvu9G1z
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) November 8, 2021
"I can assure affiliates across the country that the FAI will do whatever is needed to ensure the protection of all our referees – without them we have no game, plain and simple," said Hill.
"The small minority of players, coaches, officials and all others guilty of such abuse need to understand that. They must know that Irish football and the FAI will do whatever we have to do to ensure a zero tolerance policy towards abuse of any match official.
"Our disciplinary regulations carry clear and serious sanctions to be enforced on anyone who abuses a match official and we are calling on all Leagues to enforce those sanctions. We cannot and will not tolerate any abuse aimed at a referee at any level of the game."
