Great dismay after Zwickau’s game was abandoned. Ex-FIFA referee Sather and Bundesliga referee Ittrich have commented on the attack on the referee. The police are also investigating another case of alleged bodily harm. Zwickau also has to reckon with a severe penalty.
After the beer attack on referee Nicolas Winter in the third division game FSV Zwickau against Rot-Weiss Essen, referee colleagues expressed their horror. “The limits were clearly exceeded here,” said ex-FIFA referee Harald Sather on MDR. “It’s unbelievable how we referees are treated,” wrote Bundesliga referee Patrick Ittrich.
“There was no alternative to abortion”
Sather and Ittrich also agree on the assessment of the game being abandoned. Sather, chairman of the referee committee in Saxony, says: “It went straight in the face. As soon as the face is involved, it has to be stopped.” Ittrich also said there was no alternative to stopping the third division game.
Referee Nicolas Winter was attacked in the face by a Zwickau fan with a beer shower on Sunday (April 24, 2023) after the half-time whistle while going into the dressing room. The referee then stopped the game when the score was 1:1. Shortly before the break, the Zwickau supporters were emotionally aroused by a dismissal and a penalty against FSV.
“Losing a bunch of referees”
“Through such an action, we lose a bunch of referees again,” Sather also describes the deterrent effect of the attack on referee recruitment. “That’s another negative sign.”
RWE players also attacked – due to a complaint Mayhem
Meanwhile, the Saxony police announced that they had identified the suspect. The police said the man, who, according to FSV board spokesman Frank Fischer, is said to be a sponsor of the club, is now being investigated for bodily harm. The club also announced consequences against the man. In addition, the police said that another suspect had been identified who was allegedly involved in an attack on a player in Essen. A charge of assault was filed against him.
Zwickau “must reckon with a tough sentence”
Zwickau must now expect a high penalty. After a cup was thrown at an assistant referee in the Bundesliga in March 2022, the host VfL Bochum was sentenced to a fine of 100,000 euros and a partial exclusion of spectators. FSV board spokesman had expressed the hope immediately after the game was abandoned that there could be a replay. But Sather doesn’t believe that: “The points are probably gone. I also believe that a high fine will be imposed on Zwickau,” says Sather and explains: “This case is unique in recent years on German football pitches. Here you get involved face a severe sentence.”
