The Football Referees Association has issued a harsh official position after the scandalous incident during the match between Lokomotiv (Gorna Oryahovitsa) and Nacional U-18. In the match, the home team's goalkeeper showed brutal aggression towards the head referee of the match.
Here is the full text of the referees' position:
„The clip from the U-18 match, played on October 10, 2026 between the teams of „Lokomotiv“ (GO) and “National“, with the main character – the goalkeeper of “Lokomotiv“ and the victim of his brutal aggression – the main referee of the match. Such behavior of a football player has nothing to do with football and sport. It is outside the rules of any sport. It is unacceptable with its brutality and is incompatible with any sports field or hall.
Such acts should not and cannot be punished according to sports rules and disciplinary regulations, because they have nothing to do with any sport, and in particular with football.
Regardless of the age of the perpetrator and the rank of the competition, the Association of Football Referees in Bulgaria calls for the immediate removal of the perpetrator of this brutal aggression from football forever. It is a pity that for such acts the BFU Disciplinary Regulations do not provide for punishments for the coaches of such players they have allowed onto the field.“
The organization insists that the case should not be considered as a simple offense on the field, but as an act that has no place in sports and should be sanctioned with the most severe possible measure - a lifetime ban from football.