The Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) the body in charge of officials in English football, released a statement on Friday after various videos on social media surfaced of English referee Anthony Taylor being abused by AS Roma fans as he made his way through the airport in Budapest with his family.
In a thrilling encounter in the UEFA Europa League Sevilla edged past Jose Mourinho's AS Roma on penalties to clinch their seventh UEL title on Thursday.
After the match, the 44-year-old referee became a target for the Roma fans.
The PGMOL came forward in support of Taylor and released a statement that was disclosed by GOAL.com. The statement referred to the abuses that were hurled at him as 'unjustified' and 'abhorrent'.
"The PGMOL is aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport. We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final. We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family," the PGMOL statement read.
AS Roma's manager was quite vocal about Taylor's performance and he went on to brand his performance as a disgrace and called him 'Spanish' according to Sky Sports.
"It was an intense, vibrant game with a referee who seemed Spanish. It was yellow, yellow, yellow all the time," Mourinho said as quoted by Sky Sports.
After all the events unfolded the former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher came forward in support of Taylor. While speaking to Sky Sports he said, "It's not the done thing and it's not what people want to see. It's certainly not acceptable. I'm not saying it's right, but if a manager has a go at the referee as he comes off at the end and he feels aggrieved, to a certain extent, I see that as frustration - although he still shouldn't be doing it."
"But when you see a video that we've seen - after the referee has changed and is in his car going back to his hotel - Mourinho is there shouting at him, it's totally unacceptable."
"It was a fiery encounter from start to finish and one of the toughest games I've ever seen. I would think the referee would have been mentally exhausted afterwards," Dermot added.
"I don't think he could've done anything differently. He was tested over and over and over again. In all kinds of manners, physically and mentally. The number of times he had to go over to the bench."
"I thought Michael Oliver, his fourth official, had probably the toughest gig he ever had in his life. He's worked so hard and they've ended up with cards on the bench," Dermot concluded.
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