Abolish offside from amateur leagues to avoid violent fights and brawls: the idea of ​​the Dutch Football Association – Football

MILANO – Since when in Eredivisie to report the offside it’s a computer, semi-automatically, the Dutch public no longer allows mistakes by the linesmen. Not even in amateur tournaments, for adults and children. In fact, often – as in all amateur championships in the world – offside is the cause of furious arguments, on the pitch and in the stands. Hence the evaluation by the federation on the opportunity to eliminate offside in after-work pitches. The British newspaper reports the news The Guardian.

Offside eliminated to avoid arguments

The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has said that abolishing offsides in lower leagues, where there is not only no technology but also no federal referees and linesmen, could lead to “an end to the threats and violence that is increasing in amateur football in the country,” as the KNVB director put it. Jan Dirk van der Zeewhich at the Guardian he reported the disturbances that arise when the ones who detect offside are “club personnel”, typically those playing at home.

The death of an assistant referee in 2012

Last season, in When1,864 matches were interrupted due to violent incidents, an eleven percent increase on the previous season, and a 58 percent increase in the last five years. The most dramatic episode, however, dates back to 2012, when a Dutch assistant referee died after being beaten by several players, aged between 15 and 16, in a match in which his son was also playing.