DFB comments on the strike

The "IG referee" group goes on the offensive and would like to strike amateur football nationwide next Sunday. The reason is, among other things, the many physical attacks on the referees in the past few weeks and months. The sensational case from Hesse, in which a referee was prosecuted for a supposedly too loud whistle under civil and criminal law, has also been angry with the interest group, which is not an official referee organization. A lack of support for the associations was a reproach afterwards.

On their website, the "IG referee" sums up their demands as follows: "We need fundamental reforms to protect the referees, legal protection and accident insurance for volunteer referees, assumption of costs of the associations in the event of damage, position of a lawyer. Adequate fair expense allowances."

Demands, which are generally approved by official referee groups, but many referees will still not participate in the strike.

Well, says the German Football Association (DFB), which underlines on a Sunday request: "The associations represent the clear position that it is not a goal-oriented measure to paralyze amateur football for a match day. The experience shows that similar Actions in the past have not led to any improvements. On the contrary: they harm football, especially amateur football. "

The IG has no official mandate that authorizes it to speak in the name of all referees.

Statement DFB

The "IG referee" writes in its call: "We ask for lively participation of all amateur referees in Germany. This is the only way to keep the topic up in the associations and cannot be swept under the table."

According to the DFB, it is not to be feared that the big chaos, of all things in the season's spurt, will break out of the seasonal spurt, of all things in the season's spurt, is that it should be emphasized: "It should be emphasized that the strike call call comes from no official referee organization. In the community of interests, people with a lot of passion are committed For the thing that only wants the best for the referee. However, the IG has no official mandate that authorizes it to speak in the name of all referees. "

Therefore, according to the DFB, "we currently have no indications that indicate that the referees want to follow the boycott call of the coming match day nationwide and nationwide".

an alarming signal

Nevertheless, the association takes the concern of the interest group very seriously: "It cannot be discussed that there are difficulties and challenges in the referee area in amateur football. This has to be tackled together.

However, the situation will never be able to be improved if the topic is only closely approached. "Here it is important to think new and forward -oriented - this naturally applies to the associations, but also to clubs, players, coaches, referees* inside itself and also the media. "