The president of FIFA has expressed his sympathies over the passing of the Dutch official Richard Nieuwenhuizen, who died as a result of a vicious assault by three youth players during a match in Netherlands.
Sepp Blatter, the president of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Richard Nieuwenhuizen, who passed away on Monday following a brutal assault by three players during a youth game
in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753.
The 76-year-old, who became the president of FIFA in 1998 and has been re-elected thrice consecutively, has expressed his distress and pain over the death of the linesman. The Swiss national has stressed that the authorities should make sure that such an
incident never takes place again in the future.
“I would like to express my sadness and distress on hearing of the death of assistant referee Richard Nieuwenhuizen. I was deeply shocked to learn of this tragic incident. Football is a mirror of society, and sadly the same ills that afflict society - in
this case violence - also manifest themselves in our game”
“Nevertheless, I remain convinced that football, through the example set by the tireless efforts of people like Mr. Nieuwenhuizen, is a force for good. We must continue to use its positive example to educate people against these wrongs”, Blatter wrote in
a letter to the Dutch football association (KNVB).
Nieuwenhuizen was brutally kicked and punched by three of Nieuw Sloten players during their game against Buitenboys. The match official was rushed to the hospital, but the Dutchman could not survive the severe wounds.
Reports confirm that the three culprits have been charged with manslaughter, assault or public violence, and will be standing trial before being sentenced.
Buitenboys chairman, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marcel-c23507 Oost, earlier confirmed that the motive behind the attack on linesman is still not certain.
Brigit Haan, a prosecution spokeswoman, has also revealed that they have yet to find out the reason behind the attack.
“We still don’t have a clear picture yet”, Haan was quoted as saying to Associated Press.
Bert van Oostveen, the director of the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Royal-95-c40387 Dutch Football Association (KNVB), has also expressed his distress over the incident.
“It is unbelievable that something like this could happen on a football pitch”, Van Oostveen said while talking to journalists.
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