A Yambio football referee was attacked by an aggressive footballer that he had sent off, leaving him with a critical leg injury. (Photo: Courtesy).

After three consecutive incidents of violent assault on football referees in different parts of the country, a veteran football referee has described the phenomenon as a virus that needs to be addressed.

Mr. John Lukas, a longtime referee in the capital Juba believes the rampant violence involving sportsmen is due to lack of awareness and trainings on what football is all about.

His remarks come a week after assistant referee Robert Sunday was attacked by Black Eagle player Zubier Bakhit during their game against Jamus in the second division league in Juba.

It is the third violent assault on a football referee in the country, in three months.

The first attack occurred in Wau town on November 13. Female referee Sezarina Gabriel was slapped by an angry footballer whom she had sent off for misconduct during a match.

She was officiating the game between Tadamon and Al-haly when she red-carded Al-haly’s player Mario for the violent tackle.

The second incident happened in Yambio, Western Equatoria when Al Salam FC player, Simon James attacked referee Samen Makawa after he was sent off for misconduct during a match on Sunday 18th December 2023.

The player reportedly attacked the central referee, after he was awarded a red card upon the recommendation of the assistant referee.

Following the incidents, football-governing bodies took disciplinary measures against the culprits, who were either suspended or banned according to the football rules and regulations.

However, John Lukas, the former chairman of the Referees Committee at Juba local football Association says the punishment is not enough to stop the misconduct.

“I agree with the punishment to continue but is not enough to eliminate this disease,” he said during Eye Radio’s Sports Show on Saturday.

Lukas said there is a need for awareness and training of footballers on the ethics of professionalism in sports.

“This issue needs the collective efforts of all football family in the country through conducting awareness workshop to every club at beginning of the season to eliminate such acts,” he stated.

The football expert also believes that indiscipline players are sometimes supported by their club officials through their reaction to purported referees mistakes.

Lukas argues that players often act upon the reaction of coaches, justifying that their rights were denied by referees.

“We should look into the root cause and everyone should play their role. The players should be told how to control their hunger during such situation, the referees are not machines they are humans and they make a mistake like a player who can miss a chance for scoring, scoring own goal or those who caused penalties.”