May 28 – History-making female referee Stephanie Frappart had to be escorted to safety by police after angry confrontations following the Greek Cup final.
Frappart, the first woman to take charge of a men’s World Cup match in 2022, was the target of intimidating scenes following three red cards in the game on Saturday.
Greece has regularly appointed overseas officials and Frappart was chosen to take charge of the clash between Panathinaikos and Aris. But as the match concluded, tempers spilled over among the Aris players and staff who surrounded Frappart, with Aris president Theodoros Karypidis said to be involved in the confrontations.
Karypidis was seen storming on to the pitch protesting against Frappart and police had to intervene, eventually escorting the French official off the pitch for her protection, according to reports in Greece.
Karypidis even implied at the end of the game that the final was a set-up even though Frappart was apparently selected to avoid any concerns over bias.
The match at the Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos was already being played behind closed doors because of the threat of fan violence and since the venue has not yet installed the CCTV system required. Panathinaikos eventually scored a 97th minute winner after Aris had two players sent off in the second half.
Greek football authorities have yet to comment on the treatment of Frappart, a pioneer of women’s refereeing who was also the first female ref in Ligue 1 in France as well as officiating at the 2019 Uefa Super Cup clash between Liverpool and Chelsea.
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