Harsh outburst of Paul Casarin, former international referee and historic designator of Serie A and B, after the shameful attack suffered by a young referee of just 19 years during the playoff game Under 17 provincial between Russian Sebastiano Football Replacing e pedara, in Sicily.
The former referee does not mince his words: “The attacks on referees are unacceptable. We must limit the presence of parents in stadiums and punish them in an exemplary manner.” According to Casarin, temporary suspensions are not enough: “The complicit leaders must be deleted from football, it's not a matter of weeks or months of stoppage. If they have contributed, they must never set foot on a playing field again."
The comment becomes even more bitter when Casarin talk about the context: “Minor football is apparently serene, but in reality it is a den of incompetent parents and managers. They attack a very young referee just for one match. It's shocking." And he strikes the blow: “In Italy every parent thinks that their child is Maradona. And these are the consequences.”
Casarin proposes a very hard line: “Anyone who attacks a referee, especially in youth contexts, must to be deleted from football. It is not enough to punish, we must eradicate these behaviors from the system". The episode in Sicily is only the latest in a long series, and it reopens the debate on how to protect young referees and safeguard youth sport from those who turn it into a battlefield.
Article published on 8 April 2025 - 16:44
It is a very serious problem that must be addressed seriously. Casarin's words are right, but parents do not understand that football is for fun, not for waging wars. Education is needed.