Refs cop abuse at football game
WHEN Charley Bond decided to referee a second division game during her university holidays she never thought it would end with a phone call to the police.
The 17-year-old, who referees premier league in Townsville while at uni, said that during the game between Central and Wolves at Sunvalley on Saturday night she was abused and threatened by Central players and supporters.
Bond said 20 minutes of being harassed was all she could take.
"They just started abusing me and being really horrible," Bond said. "I was in tears."
At that point she handed the game to the senior assistant referee Claire Bond, her mother. But Bond said the drama continued.
With 20 minutes left in the game Bond said a brawl broke out which involved the abusive Central players.
"The Central players started punching in to him (a Wolves player)," Bond said.
"So mum (red) carded them because that is what you have to do."
Bond was hopeful that would be the end to the misbehaviour.
"Once the bad players were off Central scored and were doing really well," she said.
However after the game Bond said she and her mother were abused by Central supporters and were forced to lock themselves in their referee's room with the protection of Wolves players.
The conflict escalated and the police were called.
"It was so scary," Bond said.
Bond said she wouldn't be comfortable refereeing another game involving Central.
"They don't deserve refs," she said.
Bond said it is not the first time Central had behaved badly claiming a number of other referees did not like officiating at their games.
Timeline
- 20 minutes in - Charley leaves the field in tears, her mum Claire takes over.
- 20 minutes to the end of the game - Claire red cards three Central players after a brawl.
- At the end of the game - Charley and her mum lock themselves in the referee room, scared for their safety
- At 9pm - police are called to escort the referees.
