{"id":89476,"date":"2024-12-14T16:05:09","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T16:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=89476"},"modified":"2024-12-14T16:41:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-14T16:41:44","slug":"get-in-that-car-and-youre-dead-grassroots-football-referees-share-tales-of-threats-and-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2024\/12\/14\/get-in-that-car-and-youre-dead-grassroots-football-referees-share-tales-of-threats-and-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Get in that car and you\u2019re dead\u2019: Grassroots football referees share tales of threats and abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

More support is needed to help the new generation of match officials with a worsening problem<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

GRASSROOTS football referees in Cardiff have spoken out about the \u201chorrendous\u201d abuse they receive, from thuggish threats to physical assaults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardiff Referees Society, which has 76 members, boycotted<\/a> a weekend of matches in November after several matches were abandoned and a referee was allegedly assaulted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, several refs have stepped forward to share their experiences, and their views on what could be done to improve behaviour and support the next generation of match officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Which one’s your car? I’ll slash all the tyres\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One in four match officials has experienced physical abuse with 88% reporting verbal abuse, according to a survey<\/a> of 282 match officials by the Football Association of Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Smart, 57, has been refereeing in Cardiff for 20 years. In that time, he says he\u2019s seen and heard it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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