All teams of football club SV Rood-Wit in Veldhoven considered the mistreatment of the 70-year-old referee this weekend last week. A supporter of opponent SV De Braak from Helmond still struck the man unconscious during the game. To show that the club is behind him, all matches started this weekend with a minute of applause. “I was able to follow it through a video and the tribute really did me a lot,” says the referee emotionally.
The players of Rood-Wit on Sunday afternoon were on the field. To support the abused referee and as a protest against violence. “It is really necessary,” explains player Jeroen van Laarhoven. “We have to deal with many volunteers here at the club and then something like that happens as last week. I just have no words for that.”
The women’s team is also folding out exuberantly. “Those volunteers do their utmost,” says Kristel Pluksanders. “We want to show respect for that and show that this is not the intention on the football field.” Teammate Anita Janssen completely agrees. “And I think the referee thinks this is fantastic. It is the least that we can do for him, right?”
“There were already many emotions during the game, but I didn’t see this coming.”
It went wrong last weekend at a match of the fourth team of Rood-Wit. At the end of the match, a supporter of opponent SV De Braak gave the seventy -year -old referee a blow from behind. He was unconscious for minutes.
Youth coordinator Enzio Hermkens was there when it happened. “I was shocked. During the game there were already many emotions, but I didn’t see this coming. Suddenly a man came to walk on the field and who did something that in my eyes cannot be understood.”
“This promotion gives courage, also for my family.”
The referee still has a lot of trouble with the attack. He had a slight concussion and a balance disorder. He was not present at the tribute, but let Omroep Brabant know on Sunday that he is very happy with the support. “I was able to follow it through a video and the tribute really did me a lot,” he says emotionally. “Also all the support of the municipality, the KNVB and colleagues with whom I have previously worked, touches me very much. It gives me and my family a lot of courage that there are also good people.”
The referee is bothered by the attack. “It’s going terribly with me. I walk with a stick, have a lot of cramps and headaches,” he says. He also started talking to Victim Support. “I think it is important that the perpetrator knows what he has done to me and that the whole family also suffers. I hope it will never happen again, also with other referees.”
“That’s how the referee knows that we are all behind him.”
Henk Wijten is a competitive secretary with Rood-Wit. He has consulted with all teams and their opponents about the tribute. “Everyone stood behind our applause and had respect for that. That is very nice. And so the referee knows that we are all behind him. I think that is important. Because it was really intense.”
The players hope that their tribute also makes people think about violence in sport. “I hope that everyone will realize on and next to the field that violence does not belong to football or other sports,” explains Sheriza Linger. “We have to keep it nice on the field and be happy that there is a referee. Of course, emotions can rise high if you support, but then to hit a volunteer would never come to me.”
Also read:
Referee beaten unconscious, the team is not allowed to play football for two weeks
Referee of unconscious referee has a hard time: ‘Never experienced it’
The identity of the referee is known to the editors of Omroep Brabant, but is not made public for privacy reasons.