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Anthony Taylor He has admitted that at times he has considered leaving the role of referee. a constant barrage of abuse – and revealed that after that his family no longer attends high-profile matches He was harassed by Roma fans at an airport,
in an interview with bbc sportTaylor reflected on the “archaic” culture that he believes surrounds the game.
Taylor, 46, has twice taken charge of the FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020 and has been on the FIFA referees list for more than a decade.
After being selected as one of six English officials for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Taylor was later appointed to officiate the 2023 Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma in Budapest.
After a poor tie at the Puskas Arena – Sevilla finally beat Roma, then manage jose mourinhoAfter the penalty shootout – Taylor, who was issued 13 yellow cards during the match Angry fans insulted him at the airport As he traveled home.
Despite being considered one of Premier LeagueTaylor, the key referee, believes he and all other match officials have become an easy target, coming under criticism again after Chelsea’s dramatic stoppage-time win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
When Taylor was asked if he had ever thought about quitting refereeing, he admitted that he was not the only referee who had considered it.
“There have definitely been moments — and I wouldn’t be alone in this — there have definitely been moments when you’re wondering, ‘Is it worth it?'” he said.
“And of course, there are moments when you’re thinking, ‘What’s being said is completely inappropriate.’
Taylor added: “We have this old psychological strategy of ‘Let’s bomb the ref or let’s bomb the fourth official, hoping that will get a decision.'”
Following the 2023 Europa League Final, video footage emerged of the incident involving Taylor at Budapest airport. A chair and drink were thrown towards the English referee and his group as they walked through a crowd of Roma fans before being escorted to a secure area by airport security.
Taylor revealed that his family no longer attends big matches.
“This is definitely the worst situation in terms of abuse that I’ve encountered,” he said.
“Not only because I was traveling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people’s behavior on others.
“It makes you consider whether you made a mistake traveling with your family in the first place.”
Asked if this meant his family no longer went to high-profile games, Taylor said: “Yeah, pretty much – they haven’t been to any games since.”
Watch the full Anthony Taylor interview on BBC Sport online, on iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds.