The crazy club that referees are too scared to travel to for personal safety

In Italy, for nearly two years now, territorial restrictions have no longer applied to referee assignments. In theory, referees can officiate matches involving teams from their own cities. However, they can request exceptions from the head of referee designations, Gianluca Rocchi.

Marco Guida, a seasoned referee from Naples with over 200 Serie A matches under his belt, explained that both he and fellow Neapolitan referee Fabio Maresca have chosen not to officiate Napoli matches. Speaking on Radio CRC, Guida said:

“Both Fabio and I decided not to referee Napoli because football is experienced differently there compared to cities like Milan, even though we were given the option. There are no longer territorial boundaries, but we simply did what we felt was most appropriate.”

‘When I made mistakes, it wasn’t easy to walk down the street’

Maresca explained that his decision was mainly based on personal and family reasons:

“I live in Naples and also in the surrounding province. I have three children, and my wife owns a business. It’s a personal choice. I want to be able to take my kids to school in the morning and feel relaxed. Football here is deeply emotional. When I made mistakes, it wasn’t easy to walk down the street or go shopping. Just the thought of awarding a penalty and not being able to leave the house for two days to go play sports doesn’t give me peace of mind.”

He also addressed the latest incident of violence in the lower divisions. Nineteen-year-old Diego Alfonzetti was attacked in Catania by an entire team, whose players have since been banned from competition until 2030:

“This is a very sensitive issue, especially when we’re talking about 14- and 15-year-old boys who are regularly exposed to violence. I want to send a big hug to Diego on behalf of our entire association, both national and international. Many colleagues abroad have also expressed their support. What Diego went through was a vile, cowardly, and disgusting attack.”

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