A tiered system of sanctions will be introduced for assaults on referees following a meeting between FAI officials and the Irish Soccer Referees Society.
Referee Daniel Sweeney, a Donegal native, underwent five taxing hours of surgery in which several plates were inserted into his jaw following a brutal attack after a soccer match last weekend.
The meeting took place at Thursday night’s friendly between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium – with FAI officials, including chief executive John Delaney, and the president of the Irish Soccer Referee Society in attendance.
Mr Sweeney, originally from Dungloe but living in Mullingar, will remain at St James’s Hospital over the weekend and will be recovering at home for up to eight weeks after that, according to Paul O’Brien, president of the ISRS.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Paul O’Brien, ISRS President, said the support and positivity he received from two unnamed FAI officials was unbelievable.
He said that at present, anyone who assaults a referee gets a minimum one-year suspension.
Mr O’Brien said following the discussions it was agreed to introduce a tiered system of sanctions, depending on the severity of the assault.
The perpetrators for Mr Sweeney’s attack will face a lifetime ban under the new proposals.
A full report will be established by a working group by the end of December, with a view to implementing the new rules at an EGM in January.
