Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Australian referee attacked by angry supporters

Reuters
Sunday 22 May 2011 09:52 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

An Australian referee feared he might be killed during an attack by a mob of supporters whose team lost an amateur soccer match in Adelaide earlier this month.

Petros Katsiokalis suffered a facial fracture, a cut forehead and severe bleeding after being set upon by a mob of seven or eight supporters of BESA FC, a club with affiliations to the city's Albanian community, on May 13.

"The last thing I remembered before blacking out was someone about to stomp on my head - when I came to I was covered in blood - I couldn't see anything for the blood in my eyes," the 48-year-old told the Southern Mail newspaper.

"Nothing as bad as this has ever happened before."

BESA were formed after a previous club, the Black Eagles Soccer Club, were banned in 2008 after an opponent was kicked unconscious in a brawl, the paper said.

The club, which has been suspended from the amateur league pending an inquiry, condemned the attack on the referee and moved to disassociate itself from the actions of the supporters.

"We are asking everyone to go straight to the league if they have any information because this is damaging to the players, the club and the Albanian community," BESA FC secretary and player George Precaj told the paper.

"It was a cowardly act and we don't need that in sport or society."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in