In a press release, the National Union of Football Referees (UNAF) regretted that the French Football Federation (FFF) withdrew its complaint for defamation filed against Pablo Longoria. The president of OM remains the target of a complaint from the LFP for his comments on arbitration last February.
The French Football Federation (FFF) will ultimately not file a complaint against Pablo Longoria. Last February, following OM’s defeat against AJ Auxerre, the president of the Marseille club lashed out against the arbitration, referring to “total corruption in this shitty championship”. The abandonment of the complaint initiated by the FFF surprised the National Union of Football Referees (UNAF).
“Beyond this situation, the UNAF wishes to warn of the repercussions that this type of signal can have on the entire refereeing body, and particularly on amateur refereeing, already weakened by a persistent vocations crisis,” notes the UNAF press release. “Respect for the referee must translate into concrete and constant support, at all levels of football.”
The joint complaint of the LFP and the SAFE maintained
After his bloodbath, Pablo Longoria was suspended for 15 matches by the LFP disciplinary committee. “The UNAF would like to reaffirm its full support to the Union of Elite Football Referees (SAFE) in their efforts, to Mr. Jérémy Stinat, referee of the match, facing public accusations and significant personal consequences as well as to all their colleagues in the professional sector,” the press release further indicates.
“The UNAF will remain mobilized alongside SAFE and all referees, in order to defend their image, their authority and their commitment, which is essential to the smooth running of competitions,” adds the National Union of Football Referees. The joint complaint for defamation filed by the LFP and the SAFE remains in force.
