ZCZC
BSP-05
FBL-ENG-PR-REFEREE-DEAN-ABUSE
Premier League referee contacts police after death threats
LONDON, Feb 9, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Premier League referee Mike Dean has
alerted police after his family received death threats following two
controversial red cards he issued over the past week.
Dean was criticised for sending off Southampton defender Jan Bednarek
against Manchester United last Tuesday and West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek
in Saturday’s match at Fulham.
Both decisions have now been overturned on appeal.
Reports said Dean had asked to be excused from duty next weekend although
it is understood he will referee Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth-round match between
Leicester and Brighton.
Mike Riley, managing director of Professional Game Match Officials Limited
(PGMOL), supported Dean’s decision to notify the police.
“Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully
support Mike’s decision to report these messages his family received to the
police,” he said.
“Nobody should be victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is
unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the
problem.”
Bednarek was sent off for a challenge on Anthony Martial in Manchester
United’s 9-0 win over Saints, with Dean sticking with his initial decision
after being invited to check the pitchside monitor at Old Trafford.
Dean sent off Czech midfielder Soucek for catching Aleksandar Mitrovic with
his elbow by accident in Saturday’s goalless draw.
Dean checked the replays on the pitchside monitor after consulting VAR and
decided the incident merited a straight red.
West Ham boss David Moyes said he was “disappointed with football in
general” after the incident involving Soucek who tweeted his support for Dean
late on Monday.
“Whatever decisions are made on the pitch should stay on the pitch,” said
Soucek.
“I don’t like hearing about it interfering with personal life and I send
Mike Dean and his family my support.
“There is no place for abuse of any kind. It is in the past and I’m now
focused on the rest of the season.”
Moyes was unimpressed by Mitrovic’s reaction — the Serbia striker went
down clutching his face — but said the referees needed to be stronger in
their decision-making.
“Every footballer has a responsibility to do the correct thing but the
officials are giving the players responsibility to gain success by their
actions,” he said on Monday.
“The only people who can stop it are the officials. No-one else can change
it. If players are going to do this, it needs to change.”
BSS/AFP/GMR/1001 hrs