A referee affiliated with UEFA has been arrested in the UK over allegations of s3xual assault involving a teenage boy during a recent match assignment.
The official, described as a foreign national, had travelled to officiate a European fixture when the alleged incident occurred. According to reports, he was accused of inappropriate contact with the boy in a public area of a hotel and of attempting to lure him to his room.
A source said the referee had been interacting with the teenager before the situation escalated. “He’s accused of touching and groping the boy against his wishes and trying to lure him to his room. It’s shocking and totally inappropriate if true,” the source said.
The incident was reportedly reported to police while the official went on to officiate the match. He was later arrested upon returning to the hotel, where officers were said to be waiting with the UEFA delegation present.
“He came back to the hotel that night. As he walked in with the UEFA delegation, police were waiting to arrest him and read him his rights,” the source added.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a man in his 30s had been arrested and later released on bail while investigations continue into reports that a teenage boy had been s3xually assaulted.
Both UEFA and FIFA have responded by distancing themselves from the official pending the outcome of the investigation. “We are monitoring the situation with great concern. In the meantime, the official will not be considered for any UEFA competition matches,” UEFA said.
FIFA also confirmed that the referee, who had been among those being considered for upcoming tournaments, would no longer be selected for its competitions while the case is ongoing. Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the suspect, and no formal charges have been announced at this stage.