As of: February 8, 2024, 5:03 p.m
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Thomas Sonnleitner has been a referee for three decades.
In the interview he reports on how the topic of violence on the pitch has developed.
Munich – Thomas Sonnleitner from Waakirchen has been on the football field for 30 years.
The 53-year-old is chairman of the Bad Tölz referee group and referees for SC Lenggries.
During his many games, the sales manager also experienced unpleasant encounters on the pitch.
In an interview, he explains how behavior in football has developed and why insults should be punished more severely.
Mr. Sonnleitner, have you already been insulted on the field?
Yes, of course.
In 30 years it would be a miracle if it wasn't like this.
You experience verbal hostility all the time.
That depends on where you whistle and in which league.
In the youth sector, parents are more often the problem.
As players reach puberty, they become more abusive themselves.
What insults do you experience?
This goes cross country.
Players often insult each other.
Or a decision by the referee is questioned and the player becomes abusive.
It also happens that the coach is aggressive or choleric, then it is more difficult to keep the team calm.
Referee for 30 years: Thomas Sonnleitner from Waakirchen.
© Thomas Plettenberg
How do you deal with insults?
Insults result in a red card.
A ten-minute penalty is also an option to bring the players back down.
“Racism has no place on the pitch”: Referee demands consequences for hostility
Have you also experienced racism?
Yes, racist or sexist hostility also occurs again and again.
The only consequence can be a red card.
Racism has no place on the pitch.
We are required to explicitly report this to the sports courts.
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Is verbal violence increasing, or has it always been like this?
There have been verbal abuses before.
But I have the impression that physical violence, such as fights, has increased.
Maybe it seems more important today because we learn more through the internet.
Football referee: “We too notice the brutalization of society”
So the behavior stayed the same?
I have the feeling that the interactions have become more intense in the last two to three years.
We referees also notice this brutalization of society.
My impression is that many people take out their everyday aggressions on the pitch.
Respect for others has decreased.
The Bavarian Football Association is today signing a cooperation agreement with the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office.
Crimes on the football field should be better solved.
Does that solve the problem?
This is an important step in curbing the violence.
It must be clear to everyone that the football field is not a law-free zone.
Often when referees file complaints of insults in a civil court, nothing comes of it.
It's a good sign that massive insults are now being punished.
Interview: Stefanie Fischhaber
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