An Australian football referee who was severely attacked after a game in Sydney has determined to return to the game he loves.
Khoder Yaghi, 45, is undergoing reconstructive surgery today after his jaw was smashed in the persistent attack on Friday night following a club game between Greenacre Eagles and Padstow Hornets.
He is thought to be facing reconstructive surgery
The bashing was caught on video and circulated widely on social media.
Padstow Hornets had won the game 5-1, and players were socializing after the final whistle when a disagreement erupted amongst them over several questionable officiating decisions, according to the Daily Telegraph.
A spectator then charged Yaghi, knocking him to the ground before grabbing his shirt and unleashing a sickening, sustained assault.
Onlookers yelled: "Get off him, get off him," and other players pulled the assailant off the ref, sparking a wild melee.
Yaghi emerged bleeding from the scrap, appearing distressed as he held his badly-broken jaw.
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The referee was left badly injured. Photo / Socrates Miles
Recovering in hospital with multiple jaw fractures and three missing teeth, Yaghi is down but not out.
Recovering in hospital with multiple jaw fractures and three missing teeth, Yaghi is down but not out.
"No f**king way will this stop me. Never. I'm going to referee 'til I die," he told the Telegraph via text message.
He said his attacker was a suspended player and "referees didn't do any mistakes".
Adam Abdallah, a Greenacre player and amateur boxer, was arrested yesterday over the assaults.
Police confirmed the details of the attack in a statement.
A referee was savagely attacked by a suspended player
It happened in Sydney, Australia
Khoder Yaghi was left with a broken jaw and missing teeth
"Just before 10.30pm on Friday (28 April 2023), a spectator allegedly confronted a referee at the conclusion of a soccer match at Padstow Park.
"It's alleged the man assaulted the referee by punching him multiple times in the face and kicking him to the head," police said.
"Other spectators intervened and assisted the referee while the man fled the scene."
After the shameful attack, Greenacre announced that their first-grade team was leaving the competition.
"The team will not participate in competition for the balance of the 2023 season, the club announced in a statement, "due to the incident that took place after the conclusion of the match.".
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