Premier League referee Mike Dean will miss this weekend’s game following online threats on him and his family after two controversial pitch incidents.
The 52-year-old referee was not included on the match officials list for the forthcoming weekend game after he asked not to officiate the Premier League game this weekend amid the abuse and death threats on social media.
The incident comes days after Dean sent off West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek for catching Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic with his elbow on Saturday, days after dismissing Southampton defender Jan Bednarek at Old Trafford.
The Guardian report indicated that Dean reviewed the incidents on the pitchside monitor after consulting VAR before making his decisions but both incidents have since been overturned on appeal.
Commenting on the matter, the Professional Game Match Officials Board managing director and former referee Mike Riley said the organisation will offer Dean full support.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has also condemned the threats on Dean and has called for more action from social media companies.
Dean will however still officiate Wednesday’s FA Cup game between Leicester and Brighton where VAR will once again be in operation and operated by Graham Scott, with Dean’s assistant referees Darren Cann and Timothy Wood.
In recent weeks, racial abuse on social media platforms has surged towards professional footballers, leading to the call on social media companies to act quickly in the fight against online racial abuse by FA.
Among several other victims of the abuse, the Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford was targeted over the weekend just after the reported abuse on Manchester United players Axel Tuanzebe and Lauren James.
On Monday, government said it will change the law to make social media companies more accountable for malicious content following the incidents.
