Théo, a 17-year-old referee, was attacked on Saturday April 2, 2022 by players and parents during a football match in the Somme, France. The strong and unified reaction of “District Somme Football” – not to play football the following weekend, throughout the department – illustrates the solidarity that must always prevail in such cases. It also testifies to the urgency of strong actions to take in favor of arbitration, a profession in short supply, an activity essential to the good performance of sports competitions but unfortunately weakened by the culpable excesses of some. Unacceptable excesses such as those suffered by Theo have become (almost) commonplace in stadiums or in halls, everything must be done to combat a scourge threatening the viability of sport.
In a unifying approach initiated by Panathlon Wallonia-Brussels, animated by a spirit of solidarity, the French-speaking federations of collective ball sports want to react. Together, with one voice, in one spirit.
Thus, on April 23 and 24, during each of the thousands of matches scheduled for this weekend, the collective sports federations want a minute of applause to be scheduled at the start and end of each match.
A symbolic, powerful gesture, to remind the support of the active forces of sport to all the referees in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Whether they are official or so-called “club”, the referees are not only the directors of the game, they are the first supporters of a match, they make it possible to establish and respect a coherent framework in which our passion for sport. Remember also that the Penal Code recognizes aggravating circumstances for violence committed against referees in the exercise of their function, their passion.
Through this symbolic action, the French-speaking Belgian sports movement in the collective disciplines wishes to express its deep support for Théo and show that sport must remain a vector of positive values. Always, above all.
“With the players and their entourage, the referees form a coherent whole which allows the good performance of the matches, the balance of the competitions. Without this refereeing body, which assumes essential educational values, no survival for the world Sport, says Philippe Housiaux, President of Panathlon Wallonia-Brussels and recently President of the European Fair Play Movement. We will never cease, as a sports movement, to be at the side of all the actors PROVIDED that respect, mutual aid, solidarity and healthy camaraderie are the standards that prevail, everywhere and for everyone. We must be intransigent towards all those who poison the celebration of sport, by inappropriate, excessive, unreasonable behavior. “
