Source: REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
[Saba Sports News] According to Italian media reports, referees in this round of Serie A all wore a black stripe on their faces in support of an amateur league referee who was previously assaulted and suffered a broken arm. In the 15th round of Serie A, fans noticed that all the referees had a black stripe on their faces. This action was intended to condemn the violence against referees, especially those officiating lower league matches. Earlier, in an amateur league match in the Lazio region of Italy, a referee named Cavalieri drew the ire of players by calling offside, leading to an assault that resulted in a broken arm. In response, the Italian Referees Association (AIA) decided that all referees in this round of professional matches would wear a black stripe on their faces as a show of solidarity. Additionally, amateur league matches were suspended for a round in protest. While referees may make mistakes, resorting to violence is certainly unacceptable. It remains to be seen what fans think about this issue.