Volker Roth, chairman of UEFA’s referees’ committee said there were no immediate plans to go on striker after the retirement of Anders Frisk because of death threats to him and his family.
“I’m not going to call a strike today,” Volker Roth.
“Strikes in public life are legitimate but they are usually used only as a last resort.
“I brought this into the discussion as a way of showing how fed up referees are.
“I hope and I believe that things will work out but I call on everyone involved for reason to return.”
Frisk announced last week he was retiring after threats received following Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League.
“I’ve been in contact with Anders yesterday and today via e-mail and I absolutely cannot imagine that he will come back,” Roth added.
Roth also stated that the decline of sportsmanship among players and coaches had contributed to Frisk’s resignation.
“I sometimes feel like I’m the last idiot reminding people about Fair Play,” Roth said.
“I want to remind people that football is a wonderful game that is not just about making money.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has threatened to take Roth to court following his description of Mourinho as an “enemy of football” in an interview with a Swedish newspaper.
But Roth dismissed the threat.
“I have read about this,” Roth said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the complaint is.”
