Premier League Referee Mike Dean has reported receiving death threats on social media, which were also targeted at his family.
He controversially decided to send-off West Ham's Tomas Soucek in the Premier League at the weekend.
So he's also asked not to be assigned a match this weekend, after the abuse online.
That was for striking Fulham forward Alexander Mitrovic in the face, which Soucek says was an accident.
BREAKING: Tomas Soucek has won his appeal against his red card at Fulham and will not face a suspension ⚒️
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 8, 2021
Big Football Names Condemn Abuse
Referee's chief Mike Riley has called the abuse aimed at Dean "abhorrent".
Meanwhile former England star Gary Lineker said, "for Mike Dean to be getting death threats is just awful. What is wrong with people?"
Commentator Sam Matterface added:
"A Death Threat for Mike Dean over a red card for a footballer."
"Think about how utterly ludicrous that is for a moment."
"...and then realise it wasn’t even his idea and it takes on a whole new level of stupidity."
The Soucek incident comes just four days after he gave Jan Bednarek, Southampton's defender, his marching orders in a 9-0 hammering against Manchester United.
Soucek's Red Card Was Overturned Today
However Tomas Soucek won't serve a ban after the club successfully appealed against his red card from Saturday.
Aleksandar Mitrovic appeared to make the most of an accidental elbow.
But Soucek will be available to play in Tuesday's FA Cup 5th round tie against Manchester United.
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I spoke with Aleksandar Mitrović in and after the game and he said to me that our duel was fair, I thank him for that. Unfortunately, the referee had different opinion. pic.twitter.com/ri3JBpbuJk— Tomáš Souček (@tomassoucek28) February 6, 2021
West Ham boss David Moyes says it left him feeling "disappointed with football in general".
"Every footballer's got a responsibility to do the correct thing."
"But at the moment I feel that officials are giving footballers the opportunity to gain success in some way from their actions."
"The only people who can stop this are the officials."
