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Week 15 - Premier League 12/13 - CL & Europa


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A father helping out as a linesman at his teenage son’s football match collapsed and died after being attacked by members of the opposition team.

The death of Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, has prompted disbelief and anger in Holland and embarrassment amongst European football authorities.

As prosecutors announced the arrest of three suspects, all Dutch amateur games were cancelled this weekend, and professional teams were ordered to wear a black armband.

Edith Schippers, the Dutch Sports Minister, said: “It is absolutely terrible that something like this can happen on a Dutch sports field.”

Mr Nieuwenhuizen had been running the line, like he did every week, in the game involving Buitenboys, his son’s club, in Almere on Sunday.

As the match ended, he was punched and kicked by players from the other side, Nieuw Sloten, based in Amsterdam.

He returned home to lie down, and then went back to the club to watch another game, apparently convinced that his injuries were not serious.

But Mr Nieuwenhuizen collapsed and was rushed to hospital where he died the following day with his family at his bedside. Dutch television said he had brain damage.

Marcel Oost, the chairman of Buitenboys, said: “You can’t believe this could happen. That kids of 15 or 16 are playing football, you come to watch and see something like that.’

He said Mr Nieuwenhuizen loved volunteering to be a linesman whatever the weather.

“He did it every week. He enjoyed doing it. He was a real football man — he was always here.”

In a Twitter message, the club said: ‘Our linesman Richard died at 17.30 in front of his family. This violence must stop on the pitch.’

Prosecutors said three teenagers, two aged 15 and one 16, had been arrested and would be charged with manslaughter, assault and public violence on Thursday. Police said further arrests were possible.

In a statement, Nieuw Sloten expressed ‘horror’ at Mr Nieuwenhuizen’s death and shock ‘that the match on Sunday degenerated so badly.’

It said the youth team had been withdrawn from the league and the suspects expelled from the club. Dutch football officials voiced concern that the incident – which comes a year after an amateur player kicked a 77 year old supporter to death – might dissuade parents from helping out at matches.

Bert van Oostveen, director of professional football, at the Royal Netherlands Football Association, said: “These are the volunteers on which our sport is built. Without them we can’t go on.”

Sepp Blatter, Fifa’s president, sought to deflect blame for the tragedy away from the sport. “Football is a mirror of society and sadly, the same ills that afflict society – in this case violence – also manifest themselves in our game,” he said.

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