Italy: young referee assaulted in Rome, Gabriele Gravina (FIGC) promises "increased sentences"

"At the moment, the sentences are too low, they will be increased: we must start talking about one or two year suspensions, and go so far as to exclude the perpetrators," said Gabriele Gravina, president of the FIGC, on 13/11/2018, two days after the assault of a young referee in Rome (ITA), at the end of an amateur football match on Sunday 11/11/2018.

The young referee in question, Riccardo Bernardini, 24, was attacked at the end of at match in Rome, between Virtus Olympia and Atlético Torrenova 1986 (Promozione Girone C in the Lazio region). Slapped and pushed, he fell and his head hit on the concrete floor. He lost consciousness and had to be taken to the emergency room. He is still hospitalised and under observation, as of 14/11/2018.

"I applaud the initiative of the referees of the Lazio region to strike on Sunday (18/11/2018). As Minister, I will do my utmost to bring discipline, order and respect to football pitches. There is work to be done in the medium and long term to restore civic responsibility, but for now, we must punish offenders who savagely attack referees in…