Referees in the League Establish Their Own Union to Combat Harassment and Pressure in Their Profession.

The Official State Bulletin (BOE) published on Monday the resolution from the General Directorate of Labor, dated June 9, announcing the formation of the union called the Spanish Association of Football Referees (AESAF). The BOE resolution states that referees Carlos del Cerro Grande, Pablo González Fuertes, Alejandro Hernández Hernández, César Soto Grado, Guillermo Cuadra Fernández, José María Sánchez Martínez, Jesús Gil Manzano, and Juan Martínez Munuera signed the statutes and the founding minutes of the association as promoters.

In light of the harassment faced by referees, the CSD called a delegation of football officials and referees in early April. During this meeting, president José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes proposed a significant institutional and social agreement to recognize and respect the refereeing collective. The CSD aimed to seek the commitment of sports federations, professional leagues, clubs, athlete associations, fans, and the media.

The BOE notes that the constitution of the association was accepted after confirming that it meets the requirements set out in the Organic Law 11/1985 on Trade Union Freedom and Royal Decree 416/2015 regarding the deposit of statutes of trade union and business organizations. It also details that defects in the documentation submitted initially were identified, and a request for correction was made on May 30, which was completed on June 2.

The group of referees has been working for some time on the idea of creating an association to defend their interests as a professional collective and to stand up against situations or statements that they consider to be disrespectful to their professionalism or that question their independence. One incident that sparked outrage among the referees was a banner depicting referee Del Cerro Grande’s face targeted by a crosshair.

Before the Copa del Rey final, De Burgos Bengoetxea and González Fuertes also voiced their concerns. “We are going to start taking more serious measures,” the latter stated at a press conference. He continued: “The situation we referees in Spanish football are experiencing is more united than ever, due to the circumstances we face. We are 180 colleagues, we had a meeting, and we reaffirmed that unity with Luis Medina and his team and with each of the CTA employees.”