Pressure

Rafati's suicide attempt: the future of sport?

Respect is a virtue. Something we have to give to people when then clearly deserve it, and also when they don’t. It’s a sign of acceptance, that we must learn to improve ourselves in life.

Not long ago, a German football Referee under the name of Babak Rafati attempted suicide at a hotel room before a scheduled Bundesliga fixture. He was found in his bath tub, with his wrists slashed, by the linesman of the fixtures. There is no evidence or reasoning behind his actions, but is most likely to be for reasons outside the game and something that’s personalised. But this is a prime example of how pressure and a lack of respect can lead to dreadful results that sends perspective to the world. It is known that this referee was not the most popular of the German leagues, and his reception was not something was well happily received to any standard. But you hear these stories everyday of players and managers of a variety of different sports complaining about officials and their influence on the game. They are human, and they do their best to create fairness as best they can.

Rafati’s attempted suicide, personally, was something that needed more attention than what was given originally. Even though his actions were most likely caused by something outside the game and his job, it is still an indication that referees need to have more respect guided towards their way. I am a fan of football, so my article is based mainly around this area. Referees don’t have to explain decisions they make during games, and this is to protect their perspectives and reputations at the highest level. This is also done in a variety of sports where players are protected equally to defend their ideas and opinions on why things were done. Officiating is a very difficult task, and something that requires years of experience to gain fluency. It’s a job that is hard to get respected at. I personally was very upset at the news of the attempted suicide, but it should be a large warning shot towards all sports around the world of what outcomes we possess.

We don’t want sports and entertainment being placed into the lines of purposeful death. We have to start remembering that sport is only an entertainment factor that the world enjoys thoroughly and loves endlessly. But away from that reality does not change. Away from it all the world keeps moving and what we believe affects individuals in certain ways may not be anywhere close to what is really occurring.