Italy protects referees: attacks are severely punished!

Italy protects referees: attacks are severely punished!

In Italy, referees in football leagues are often confronted with violence. This alarming situation has led the Italian government to take new measures to protect the referees. On Friday evening, a nationwide regulation was passed that now equates attacks on referees with attacks on police officers. This decision was particularly welcomed as over 600 attacks on referees were documented last football season, highlighting the urgency of this reform.

The new regulations provide for prison sentences of between three and five years for attacks on referees. In the case of serious bodily harm, the penalty can be up to 16 years. Before this new legal regulation, the penalties for assaults on referees were not centrally anchored in the criminal code, but were scattered throughout various sets of rules. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi underlined the need for the new protection: “It is crucial that we support these referees who make an important contribution to our sport,” continued Abodi.

Reactions to the new regulations

The President of the Italian Referees Association AIA, Antonio Zappi, welcomed the decision as the result of months of work and set an example for the protection of referees, both amateur and professional. The sports community is also relieved by the resolutions, which intend to tighten prosecution in cases of violence against officials.

The serious incidents that have occurred in the past highlight the dangers that referees are exposed to during their operations. The ongoing violence against referees has not only affected individual fates, but also the football environment as a whole. Now everyone involved hopes that this new legal regulation will bring about a noticeable improvement and, above all, a safe working environment for the referees in Italy.