UEFA refs' chief hints at strike over Frisk

Europe's top referees' official hinted yesterday that referees could strike after the retirement of Anders Frisk because of death threats to him and his family.

"We cannot just do nothing," said Volker Roth, chairman of UEFA's referees' committee.

"There will be a demonstration of solidarity among the referees as you have never seen before.

"I am really no friend of strikes but we must consider measures," he told Bild newspaper in his native Germany.

Frisk is one of Europe's top referees. He announced on Friday he was retiring, saying "these last few weeks have been the worst of my life".

The 42-year-old was in charge of Barcelona's 2-1 first leg victory over Chelsea in the Champions League last month.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said his Barcelona counterpart Frank Rijkaard had talked with Frisk in the dressing room at half-time in Spain.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was sent off by Frisk early in the second half. There were scuffles in the tunnel after the game and Chelsea refused to attend post-match news conferences. Chelsea won the second leg 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

"Of course, we make mistakes like every player and coach. But that shouldn't lead to referees being sworn at or even threatened," Roth said.

"But if things escalate and milli-metric decisions, which can only be decided after three slow motion replays, trigger exaggerated reactions, then the possibility exists that even the best referees in the world will abruptly give up."

Roth said a strike by referees in the Bundesliga would be the "very last means" with which to demonstrate their frustration at their treatment.

At the weekend Roth told a Swedish newspaper that "people like Mourinho are the enemy of football". He will hold a regular meeting with Germany's top referees today in Frankfurt.