finite number of referees are encountering harm, warns Ittrich.
At the moment, four notable football referees are sidelined due to injuries. One of these refs, Patrick Ittrich, is also pointing out the mounting workload as a concern and urging the German Football Association (DFB) to take action. Ittrich voices his concerns yet requests less "drama" surrounding the issue. In an interview with "web.de", Ittrich stated:
"Unlike pro athletes, we don't train with a team. I'm the lone figure on the pitch. If anything happens to me, I need to establish a support network, hunt down a doctor, and locate a physio. And let me tell you, the physio isn't on standby, waiting for my call once I've been hurt."
Ittrich emphasized that referees, too, have voiced concerns over the numerous games and workload. The 45-year-old is currently nursing a "severe" muscle injury as a result of overtraining before the season started, persisting with training despite initial discomfort: "Following our performance test, instead of resting, I thought: 'The season is kicking off soon, you've got to squeeze in one more session.'" Deniz Aytekin, Robert Schröder, and Frank Willenborg are also currently injured.
Overwork and age affecting referees
"Perhaps it's just a coincidence that these injuries are piling up. Then again, Aytekin and Willenborg are well over forties too," Ittrich said. While referees are making greater efforts to stay in shape, "you can't argue with age," he acknowledged. "The rigorous travel schedule from one game to another is a major strain on the body." Ittrich believes that the 24-strong pool of DFB referees for the Bundesliga is sufficient.
However, the former police officer considers that "more attention is being paid to this than necessary": "There have been times in the past when three or four referees were injured simultaneously. It didn't raise eyebrows since it wasn't publicized back then. And nobody seemed to care."
The German Football Association (DFB) should consider the impact of the football league's demanding schedule on referees, particularly those who are over forty like Deniz Ayteich and Frank Willenborg. The current workload is putting a significant strain on referees' bodies, with some, like Ittrich and others, suffering from severe injuries as a result.
