It begins with verbal abuse from players and spectators then escalates to physical violence.
Football officials are subjected to vulgar insults, threatened, chased off the field, attacked, hospitalised and tragically killed.
Is losing a match what started this violence?
Why would people destroy the 'beautiful game'?
When it comes to this, what is beautiful about it?
Murdered Officials
Richard Nieuwenhuizen
Nieuwenhuizen was knocked to the floor, punched and kicked in the head by players of the Nieuw-Sloten team. He eventually got back to his feet but he was knocked to the floor again. Later in the afternoon Nieuwenhuizen decided to watch another game but collapsed. An ambulance was called for him but later he died.
"Football is a mirror of society and sadly, the same ills that afflict society -- in this case violence -- also manifest themselves in our game," said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Hector Giner
Seventeen year old Hector Giner was brutally attacked in Burjassot, Valencia after attempting to send off a player who had insulted him. As Giner looked down and began to write in his notebook, the player, a policeman, 10 years his senior, struck Giner in the face, then delivered two kicks to the body as he lay face down on the ground. Giner lost his spleen and three litres of blood from the attack.
How can a grown man assault a 17 year old?
Doesn't he know that you cannot win it all.
And it keeps on happening ...
"Reports in Ghana suggest that a young referee has died as a result of injuries inflicted after fans had attacked him."
"Twenty-one-year-old Kyei Andoh had officiated a match in the Third Division between Gold Stars and Naajoe United last weekend, and was allegedly assaulted by the home fans." - Kick Off!
Preventative Measures
In South Africa, when the new stadiums were built, the supporters were moved further away from the touchline, thereby reducing their influence on officials.
Meanwhile, the English Football Association has taken an innovative approach to stopping violence against match officials by introducing the "Respect" program at grassroots level, using online videos to promote "effective dialogue" with players.
European soccer's ruling body UEFA also has its own Respect program.
"Respect and trust between players and referees -- which makes the referee's job easier -- or respect for the players from the fans."
Officials
Just look at how happy they are. Imagine if they quit something they loved to do. It wouldn't solve your problems, it would probably put football on hold for a while.
Can you imagine an official-free match? No referee, linesmen or fourth official. Everything is technologically controlled, with the inclusion of goal line technology.
Who would the players and supporters verbally abuse? A little box that makes all the decisions? Wow, now that would be something!
I won't lie, I've been there, with decisions going against Manchester United. I've wanted to climb through the telly, onto the pitch and scratch some eyeballs.
Vuvuzelas, coins, water bottles, toilet paper ... Its one thing to hurl insults at officials, but to act violently is another. Why attack an official? Is it because his decision went against you and your team? Or is it because you can't see straight?
Look at it this way ... If the decision was to benefit your team, you would not have behaved like a barbarian. But since the decision went against you, you chose the barbaric route.