(adds FIFA president Blatter quotes paras 9-11)
LONDON, March 14 - Europe's top referees' official
hinted on Monday that referees could strike after the retirement
of Anders Frisk because of death threats to him and his family.
"We cannot just do nothing," sad Volker Roth, chairman of
UEFA's referees' committee. "There will be a demonstration of
solidarity among the referees as you have never seen before.
"I am really no friend of strikes but we must consider
measures," he told Bild newspaper in his native Germany.
Frisk is one of Europe's top referees and had been earmarked
for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He announced on Friday he was
retiring, saying "these last few weeks have been the worst of my
life".
The 42-year-old was in charge of Barcelona's 2-1 first leg
victory over Chelsea in the Champions League last month. Chelsea
coach Jose Mourinho said his Barcelona counterpart Frank
Rijkaard had talked with Frisk in the dressing room at halftime
in Spain.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was sent off by Frisk early in
the second half. There were scuffles in the tunnel after the
game and Chelsea refused to attend post-match news conferences.
Chelsea won the second leg 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals.
"Of course, we make mistakes like every player and coach.
But that shouldn't lead to referees being sworn at or even
threatened," Roth said in a statement on the German Football
Association's website.
"But if things escalate and millimetre decisions, which can
only be decided after three slow motion replays, trigger
exaggerated reactions, then the possibility exists that even the
best referees in the world will abruptly give up."
World body FIFA's president Sepp Blatter said: "I am
appalled by the verbal attacks directed at referees. It is often
such extreme behaviour that sparks off trouble among supporters.
"I strongly urge everyone concerned to show respect towards
referees and demonstrate fair play."
"Anyone who attacks a referee, attacks the football
environment in which he lives.
DEMONSTRATE FRUSTRATION
Roth said in a statement a strike by referees in the
Bundesliga would be the "very last means" with which to
demonstrate their frustration at their treatment.
At the weekend Roth told a Swedish newspaper that "people
like Mourinho are the enemy of football". He will hold a regular
meeting with Germany's top referees on Tuesday in Frankfurt.
UEFA is to try to persuade Frisk to return to the game.
"It's obvious that our first reaction was of solidarity and
compassion," William Gaillard, spokesman for European soccer's
ruling body, said on Monday.
"At the same time (refereeing officials) at UEFA are in
contact with Anders and will try to convince him to go back to
refereeing because we need people of his calibre and quality.
"Players, coaches and managers have a responsibility to
exert restraint. The game is watched by millions of people, we
can't expect everyone to be as mentally balanced as they should
be," Gaillard told Sky Sports news.
"One should be very careful about making statements that
could be potentially inflammatory."
Frisk was also hit on the head by an object thrown from the
crowd at AS Roma's Olympic stadium in September during a
Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev.
"I think people should keep in mind that these are not
highly paid people, they're not like the players or the
coaches," said Gaillard.
"These are people who are basically amateurs, who also have
another job on the side and it is quite unfair to put them in
the situation where they have to go into hiding."