Foot: “The safety of referees and their assistants must be guaranteed at all times”, denounces Gianni Infantino

Fifa President Gianni Infantino on Monday called on Uruguayan authorities to ensure security in football after the “scandalous violence” committed against a referee during a match in the opening tournament of the men's first division. Infantino described as “shameful” what happened on Saturday in Montevideo, when assistant referee Federico Piccardo received a stone in the face at the end of the match between Racing and Penarol. The incident led to the shutdown of the local tournament that evening.

“The safety of referees and their assistants must be guaranteed at all times,” the FIFA boss wrote on his Instagram account. “I therefore call on the relevant authorities to hold those responsible to account and to continue to put in place appropriate deterrent measures to ensure the eradication of violence in sport,” he continued.

Federico Piccardo, who received treatment, is “in good health”, assured the Uruguayan Football Federation (AUF) on Sunday. She called on all those involved in sporting events to raise “general awareness” against acts of violence. According to the AUF, the attacker is already known. But a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office declared on Monday that at the judicial level, he had not yet been identified and that the police were leading the investigation to obtain information concerning him via cameras and witnesses.