The perpetrator was a Diekirch player who had been sent off by the referee in the 70th minute. After the match ended, the player threw a piece of wood at the referee, injuring his face and sending him to hospital. The incident took place around 20 minutes after the final whistle.
The referee, Carlo Cardoni, was signed off work for two days with the injury, and consequently lodged a complaint with Remich police.
However, the incident has not put Cardoni off refereeing in future, as he intends to continue pursuing his passion. He said the players who behave themselves on the pitch ultimately have a right to have their games officiated.
The player who carried out the assault joined Diekirch relatively recently after playing in Wiltz last season. President of Young Boys Dikrech, Jean-Marie Dupont, said it was clear the player would not represent the club any longer.
Dupont added that all clubs should react firmly to such incidents and any players perpetrating such violence should not be permitted to play again. He also expressed regret that even volunteers should have to contend with such behaviour.
Alex Krüger, the Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) head of referees, said such a situation could not be compared to incidents on the pitch, as the assault took place after the game had ended. As a result one could not attribute the violence to the heat of the moment or the player’s emotions during the game.
Krüger added that it is difficult for future referees in training to prepare for such a situation. It was important to establish direct contact with a CA member of the federation if such an incident occurs, in order to proceed accordingly, he said. The FLF will also be making a lawyer available for Cardoni if needed.
At any rate, Diekirch lost the match 9-0.
