Spitting, racist abuse and physical violence — Cologne referees have gone on strike to protest against increasing violence among players. Many amateur league matches were canceled as a result.
Image: picture alliance/ImageBROKER/M. Weber
Advertisement
Cologne referees went ahead with a strike on Sunday, protesting against growing violence at local-level matches.
A total of 76 amateur league matches in the amateur Kreisliga Sunday league were due to take place, but most were canceled because of the collective action, according to German local media WDR.
Worst hit were matches in the Kreisliga A division, though the strike affected divisions A to D.
Members of the Cologne Referee Committee reached the decision that it would not provide referees for the amateur level matches earlier this week.
During a match between Blau-Weiss Köln and Germania Ossendorf on November 3, a referee was verbally abused and physically attacked by members of the away team and also had a glass bottle thrown at him after awarding three goals to Blau-Weiss Köln.
The referee committee wrote that it wanted to send a "clear signal against violence and increasing brutality to which they find themselves increasingly exposed."
Referees in Cologne said that there had been 10 acts of violence against officials in the past season and another 56 cases of insults or threats.
"The development is alarming, a clear stop-signal must be shown," their statement said.
The committee also demanded better protection at matches and an open dialogue between clubs, players, and referees to combat violence in the future.
The Cologne strike follows a similar strike by local level referees in Berlin against football violence, where the Berlin football federation said it had recorded 109 incidents of violence and discrimination, with 53 of these against referees.
Bundesliga: Numbers to know for the 2019-20 season
New teams, new coaches and lots of goals — there is a lot to look forward to in the coming season. Here are some of the numbers you should know before the 2019-20 campaign gets underway.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Pretty
7 — Bundesliga clubs with new head coaches
Seven teams will feature new head coaches this season. Leipzig's Julian Nagelsmann is the only one with Bundesliga experience, though Hoffenheim's Alfred Schreuder and Hertha's Ante Covic have served as assistants. Schalke's David Wagner, Cologne's Achim Beierlorzer and Gladbach's Marco Rose have coached in Germany's lower leagues. Wolfsburg's Oliver Glasner is the only one new to German football.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
3.18 — Goals per game in the Bundesliga last season
With 973 goals scored in the Bundesliga's 306 games last season, the German top flight had the highest goals-per-game average among Europe's top-five leagues. A total of 24 players scored at least 10 goals last term, the most double digit goalscorers the league has seen in five years. Will there be more of the same this term?
Image: Reuters/M. Dalder
€80 million — The new Bundesliga transfer record
Bayern Munich nearly doubled their transfer record when they signed Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid. The French defender is expected to partner with entrenched starter Niklas Süle once he returns from a knee injury. That transfer record may not last long, though, if the Bavarians convince German international Leroy Sane to return to the Bundesliga.
Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon/F. Hoermann
12 — Paco Alcacer goals as a substitute last season
The Spanish striker, who bagged 18 Bundesliga goals in his first season with Borussia Dortmund, shattered the league's substitute goal-scoring record by three goals. With nagging leg and arm injuries seemingly behind him, Alcacer has expressed his desire to start more games. That might be tricky, however, as BVB have added Julian Brandt and Thorgan Hazard to an already potent attack.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Fassbender
3 — Newly promoted Bundesliga teams
For the first time since 2012-13, the Bundesliga will feature three newly promoted teams: Cologne, Paderborn and Union Berlin. Cologne return to the top division after one season in the second tier. Paderborn achieved two consecutive promotions to return to the top flight. Union are set to play their first ever Bundesliga season after defeating Stuttgart in last season's interleague playoff.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
1977 — Last Berlin derby in the Bundesliga
Union Berlin's promotion means the German capital will see its first Bundesliga derby in over four decades. The last time two Berlin-based clubs faced off in the Bundesliga was April 4, 1977 when Tennis Borussia Berlin beat Hertha Berlin 2-0. Hertha and Union have faced each other four times in the second division, most recently in 2013.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
41 — The age Claudio Pizarro will turn this season
How will Werder Bremen's Claudio Pizarro end his Bundesliga career? The Peruvian forward, who scored five goals for Bremen last season, has announced that 2019-20 will be his last. Klaus Fichtel, Uli Stein and Toni Schumacher are the only players older than Pizarro to play a Bundesliga game.
