Greek referee beaten up on his way to work

FIFA referee Thanassis Tzilos suffered an attack by four assailants on Wednesday morning and is in hospital with injuries to his head and legs.

Local media in Larissa, where the attack occurred, and in Athens reported that Tzilos, a civil engineer, left home just after 9 a.m. to go to work when four men with their faces covered attacked him inflicting serious injuries on the referee. A neighbor who witnessed the incident called an ambulance.

Tzilos, who recently earned his FIFA badge, had officiated the game between Xanthi and Olympiakos 10 days earlier that finished 1-1. Olympiakos spokesman Costas Karapapas stated after that game: ”There is no point in playing with marked cards. Who has Tzilos spoken with during the last 48 hours?”

The head of Larissa’s local soccer association, Dimitris Bouchlariotis, confirmed on Sport FM radio that the attack is 100 percent soccer-related. He also said his association is suspending all matches scheduled for this weekend in protest.

In the last few years there have been several attacks against Greek referees or their properties, without the culprits ever been found.