Top soccer officials in the Netherlands are potentially planning to abolish the offside rule at the amateur level of the game. The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) claims that the move could counteract increased violence towards referees. Matches in the lower levels of Dutch soccer have experienced a recent rise in delays due to disputed decisions.

Jan Dirk van der Zee, director of the KNVB, admitted significant changes are necessary to combat the problem. The official claims that 1,854 total amateur games suffered from disruptions last season because of violent incidents.

This is an 11% increase in such events when compared to the previous season. When looking at the figures over five years, violence is up 57%. The KNVB does not currently send their referees to these amateur matches. Instead, club members often serve as match officials.

Referee assistant was previously killed during a youth match

Perhaps the most notable case involving violence in Dutch games occurred back in 2012. An assistant referee was killed while working the sidelines at his son’s youth match. Several opposing players, aged 15 to 16, punched and kicked the 41-year-old man to death following the game. Authorities arrested three teenagers for their involvement in the incident.

Along with removing the offside rule at the level, Van Der Zee also claimed that assistant referees may not be used in the future.

“It is true that it is a relatively small number compared to the almost 780,000 matches that are played annually, but we are not going to trivialize it,” stated the KNVB exec. “We have a problem, and we want to eradicate it. I do not rule out that we will one day stop using assistant referees.”

Earlier this summer, the Dutch soccer officials introduced a new rule that would help ease tensions with referees. The stipulation limited how many players could surround match officials to protest a decision. In the updated law, only team captains may ask referees to better explain a call.

This particular rule was also in use during the recent Euro 2024 and Summer Olympics in France. So far, the changes have produced relatively positive results. Premier League execs have also recently implemented a similar rule as well.

English officials also implement harsher punishments for abuse

Despite abolishing the offside rule at the amateur level, the KNVB does not currently have plans to make a similar move in professional Dutch soccer. Much like in other areas of the world, assistant referees in Dutch amateur soccer games lack proper training. Oftentimes, these officials have direct links to the clubs playing on the pitch.

The Netherlands is not the only country experiencing a rise in violence towards referees. In 2023, a new rule made it so English grassroots clubs would earn points penalties if players abuse match officials. The rule came in at the amateur level ahead of the 2023/24 season. Premier League officials are also cracking down on the issue at the top of the pyramid as well.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.