Football: Attacked by players, Lebanese ref quits

Lebanese referee Bachir Awasa was glad to have escaped alive after being assaulted by players and staff in a domestic second division match last weekend but the official has decided to quit following the horrid experience.

Awasa was kicked and chased around the pitch in Beirut after showing a red card to an Al-Nahda player in Saturday’s match against Al-Salam Zgharta. “To be honest, I did not expect to get out alive,” said Awasa. “When the players tried to hit me I tried to run and then coach Mahmoud Seif Eddine also attacked me and other staff ran after me and things got out of hand and I tried to run from one place to the other.” Awasa urged the football association to protect the referees, while ruling out reversing his decision to quit. “It’s my final decision,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2013.