Nuneaton’s MP Marcus Jones has spoken out in Parliament and has called for more protection for referees who officiate amateur football.

The MP’s intervention comes following reports of incidents in the Nuneaton Sunday League of referees being verbally abused and physically attacked. Marcus raised concern that because the incidents take place on the football field, relevant authorities, such as the Police, tend not to apply the same level of seriousness to certain incidents.

The Sports Minister, Helen Grant MP, acknowledged that the Football Association and Sport England have invested £60m to help raise standards, and gave her support for the full protection of the law for officials wherever attacks take place to ensure that community football is safe and enjoyable.

Commenting on the issue, Marcus said: “In recent months, two referees officiating the Nuneaton and District Sunday League have been badly assaulted by players. Because those incidents take place on the pitch, the authorities do not apply the same gravity to them as they would if they happened elsewhere, so I decided to raise this issue in Parliament to ask what more the Government do to protect referees in the amateur game.

“Verbal abuse and physical attacks on referees at any level of the game is completely unacceptable, so I will be raising the issue further with the Home Secretary to see if anything can be done to give referees the full protection of the law when incidents happen on the football pitch.”