Vasaras: “I am not returning to Greece, because my family should have protection”

He has no intention of returning to Greece, for security reasons Kyros Vasaras. The member of the UEFA Refereeing Committee and chief referee in Romania was hosted on “Trial in the Open” and spoke about Greek refereeing, showing his concern about the situations prevailing in his country.

What Kyros Vasaras said in detail:

-about how he decided to write his book: “It was something I wanted for a long time. The truth is that I wrote it because I am narrating the active action, that is, as an active referee in the stadiums and when I left I decided to write it. I am very happy about it. Of course, the refereeing cycle has never closed for me, I continue, and I consider this book to be a valuable guide for many, referees and those involved in sport. It is a book that shows my path and how I got involved in refereeing as an active referee.”

-why attacks on referees remain either undetected or unpunished: “There’s always a big question mark over them. Many things need to be done. In the book I mention many issues because everything had to do with my action as a referee and the obstacles I faced, which were many and big. From the looks of things, unfortunately, things continue. All these attacks are reprehensible, but nothing is done with the wishes.”

-for the 38 attacks on Greek referees: “It’s very sad. I don’t see that we have done anything. I think everyone needs to put their head down and talk about what these things are that are arming hands and influencing people to be criminals. It is a very long story what we should do. I still see team announcements, inflammatory statements, toxicity, referees are not protected. It’s not just the police’s fault, it’s our fault too, what we’ve done. How we have taught our children, what happens in children’s leagues, how parents deal with referees. It’s a very big chapter.”

– on whether there is moral agency of actors: “Justice will decide this. However, everyone knows that they happen at certain times, in a very bad way. We see shameful images for the sport but we never hear any announcement about someone being punished either for cursing on the pitch, or for behaving in a different way or for a player to say that we too have to contribute. Because I think that if inside the pitch, the technical area, the footballers, the referees have a good attitude, it is the number 1 step to not bring various things to the stands. When attacks take place we understand they are carried out by “armies”, by people who are organized, who know what they are doing. It’s mob hits, you know it’s from the underworld by the darkness. And the referee should not stop because he does not have that right in terms of morally feeling that what he has done is right.”

– on how a referee can protect himself: “I have confidence in justice. And so it should because the referees have to report anything that precedes any attack, that is, threats, blackmail, any traces that can help. They must cooperate with justice. I was alone in a court with 4-5 defendants, it happened what happened, I lived, everything is fine, it didn’t happen by accident they were organized with helmets with crowbars so the first thing is to be lucky. One of them asked me to say sorry and I responded in the appropriate way. We are not able to have bodyguards and there is no reason. It cannot be done in other states, we have to change, society and institutions. There must be punishments and many measures and we must not let all this happen.”

– on whether arbitrators who appealed to justice were marginalised: “When my case happened, the entire body of referees and observers got their message across, reacted and showed that there is a conspiracy. They directly showed their love and support, that they are united and they might do the same to someone else. In Greece, the committees change very quickly, the tables, the referees change, we need stability. Perhaps this instability affects those people who see referees as more vulnerable. I’m not saying what we don’t have. Recently abroad, in England, a sports fan was arrested for making a sexist comment in the stands because the referee was a woman. We are talking about cases and actions on the field for the person to come out and say I was wrong. For me, there is a lack of prevention, education and everyone in Greece should take this seriously because this will help in the future. We need additional education on the topic of prevention.”

– for the new chief referee of KED Peter Freudfeld: “The refereeing leadership is like the coach in a team. When a team decides that it needs a foreign coach, the EPO, as well as the one I am here in Romania, decide that a foreign referee should come. This is not bad. It has worked too many times and depending on the leagues that exist it is deemed appropriate to do it to stop potential leaks, threats, many things. It is another thing to know a person for so many years and to become the chairman of the arbitration committee, so you have some contacts and past, while with the person from abroad you know that contacts and telephones are cut off and he can act more independently. Everyone is judged for their work and not their nationality. What we need to know is if there are timelines. What will happen next year, what do we expect two years from now, what do we want to do in three years, what is the evolution of the referees from the 3rd to the 2nd national team and from the 2nd to the 1st? Does the EPO executive committee know this? That’s what we should care about.”

– about Baltakou’s statements that he is ashamed of the need for foreign referees but also the removal of Bennett who wanted to put Greeks: “It’s something that the EPO has to answer, I don’t know what’s going on. But the world doesn’t know either. The referees need to talk. During a break in the league we will do this and that. It is legitimate. Twice a year let there be a communication with the Media, this is needed. The arbitration committee cannot be behind anyone, it must come forward and analyze, speak. I’m not talking about phases but about problems and designs. People who are judged for their work must be controlled, there must be self-esteem. A database is needed, what possibilities exist for seminars, a budget is needed, the plan is prepared and we proceed. What do I expect from this? We will judge it by the time of the overtime, etc. This is how work is done.”

-why he doesn’t want to come to Greece himself: “That was their question to UEFA. I’ve been told this many times but I prefer my family to be okay and have a protection. The conditions that exist are not for anyone to think of coming to his country. In order to undertake something, the conditions and propositions must exist. Both don’t exist. I have said no for financial reasons. A KED president makes the definitions. After three definitions there will be a dispute and I will have to have a patrol car for each member of my family. I don’t want that. With the statistics we have with the attacks, the continuous inflammatory statements, the impunity. These are conditions, and an incoming stranger begins and soon learns them. Which foreigner or Greek stayed more than 2 years? Other things need to be done and I think we all have the ability to know if we want to change. We asked ourselves if we want to change? Agents, administrations, leagues, referees, footballers, state. When will we all discuss it together? It is not a question of a foreigner coming or Vassaras coming. How to best appoint referees? You have; Do you produce? We also have VAR, if we didn’t have it things would be even more difficult for the reliability of football. The teams advance to European competitions, the National Team is doing well with new kids and has goals and even in the league we are talking about refereeing and we will not find the next international referees. I hope we find them and I am doing everything so that the Greek referees can proceed. I haven’t said a bad word to anyone while I’ve been a referee. I may have bitterness, whatever, but above all I am Greek and Greeks must support each other otherwise everyone treats us differently. Because if we keep blaming our neighbor, someone from abroad will say they are not in the mood to change. I don’t think we are underdeveloped, we are very well educated, we have people. But there must be will, institutions and appetite.”

– about how a Greek referee can go to a World Cup or Euro in this atmosphere: “For a Greek referee to be able to go to the World Cup or the Euro, he must go through the final stages. The tables of international referees must be stable, you can draw like FIFA and UEFA a program for the next tournament. When some people enter, they make a march and in 2 years they leave why should they trust the Greek referee. I never criticize moves, I like to provide solutions, to participate in something good. I don’t want to judge people, I think everyone is judged by their actions. The one who should judge is only the sports fan, not me.”

– on whether there are attacks on referees in Romania: “No, they don’t happen. For all matters involving assaults or bribes, there are three people involved: the referee, the integrity officer, myself and the police. Twice something happened in the 9 years I have been here, this procedure was followed secretly, the culprits were convicted and the referee continued his career. The other referees were “armed” with power and protection. And when there were statements, they went to the disciplinary committee and those who made them were punished according to the degree of their behavior.”

– on whether he would restart his career, would he do something different or exactly the same: “If I were to start today, I would beg to have less than 11 years to become a first team referee. It’s one of the things we have to change to get the footballers into refereeing. I’m sure I would do a lot more things. All that I teach now, if I taught it now to myself I would be born again. I haven’t regretted anything I’ve done in my life. I know how to apologize, I know how to say thank you and I love what I do.”