Abuse in Surrey football has reached 'epidemic' levels - say Surrey FA
Surrey FA dealt with 637 cases requiring disciplinary action last year - this season they're already at 450
We're hearing abuse towards referees and sports staff in Surrey football games has increased, reaching 'epidemic' levels.
This is according to Surrey FA who dealt with 637 cases requiring disciplinary action last year.
Now just half way through the season, 450 cases have already been brought forward.
Surrey FA's Discipline Statement:
"We are seeing unacceptably high levels of misconduct and abusive behaviour across football in Surrey.
"Since the start of the current season, we have seen a sharp increase in discipline cases and they continue to rise, eclipsing figures from the same point last year.
"Abusive behaviour within football towards anyone is totally unacceptable and we want to make sure football is a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
"Everyone bears a collective responsibility to set a good example and help provide a positive environment in which everyone can enjoy the game."
Surrey FA's Chief Exec Sally Lockyer said:
"We've seen double the number of threats to referees, more than double the amount of discrimination, more than double non-player participation sanctions - that's coaches managers, people around the pitch - the use of sin bins have also risen by around a third.
"More worrying is the situation with abandoned games - that's where there's uncontrollable players on the pitch, maybe a spectator on the pitch and the referee has decided they have to abandon the game.
"What we're seeing is this is happening in younger and younger and age groups - which is really worrying.
"We hear stories of young referees just qualified, excited for their first game and they come away so abused they hang up their boots straight away.
"It's really having an impact - not just on referees who take the majority of the abuse, but on everybody's enjoyment of the game.
"We're at the point now where this has gotten to epidemic levels"
"We're calling a higher level summit across Surrey for all of the football family - that's us, the leagues, coach association, referees association and we're going to look at anything we can do on a local level to stamp this out."