Babak Rafati suicide attempt - assistants praised | Mail Online
The president of the German Football Association, Dr Theo Zwanziger, has given the two assistant referees and the fourth official of Saturday's Bundesliga fixture between Cologne and Mainz credit for saving the life of referee Babak Rafati.
Rafati was discovered in his hotel room covered in blood after attempting to commit suicide several hours before the game was due to kick-off.
The game was postponed as Rafati was rushed to hospital, where he is in a stable condition in intensive
care.
Holger Henschel, Frank Willenborg and Patrick Ittrich's quick-thinking was crucial in saving the Hanover-based official's life, according to Dr Zwanziger.
'They have explained everything to me and to the police,' Zwanziger told Sky television in Germany. 'All I can say is compliments to them.
'They took immediate measures and kept their cool.
'It definitely took a lot to stabilise him and to contribute to him being able to remain alive.
'I have got to say that these three have saved his life. When they discovered him, they ensured that he could survive with quick emergency measures.'
It took less than 15 minutes for Rafati's assistants to realise that something was amiss when the normally punctual referee failed to show for a meeting in their hotel two hours before kick-off.
Attempts to call the 41-year-old proved futile while the referee did not respond when they knocked on his hotel door either.
With the aid of a hotel worker, they gained access to Rafati's room, where they were confronted with a horrific discovery in the bath tub.
'Naturally, all three of them are distraught,' added Dr Zwanziger. 'They were sat with him the night before and did not notice anything amiss.
'Only at 13:30, when he did not appear, did they start to worry and they reacted quickly.
'It is certainly a burden for them when a close friend, with whom they have worked together for a long time and officiated over important games, takes such a step.
'I think it still hasn't sunk in. I was pleased that they looked so composed, but I think that will change over the coming days.'
The three officials were provided with psychological care and Dr Zwanziger has promised that the German FA (DFB) will 'provide them with all of the help that the DFB can offer' to come to terms with
the experience.
But he expects them to be strong, given the nature of their job.
'You have got to be very tough to be able to cope with everything in this sport,' he said.
'Of course refereeing has become a very difficult job and there are a lot of demands placed on referees
nowadays.
'It is not so easy to describe when you hear how people who play such an important role in top-level sport suddenly arrive in a situation where they feel there is no way out, which means they see no alternative in life.
'That is quite terrible.'
Although there were boos when the announcement was made at the Mungersdorfer Stadion that the game was called off, the president of the German Football League Dr Reinhard Rauball insists there was no other choice.
'I am deeply shocked and I believe thateverybody connected with the Bundesliga feels the same way,' he said.
'Something like this has never happened before and it has deeply shocked people.
'If there was anything to be learnt from the death of Robert Enke, then it was that football is not everything in life, as Theo Zwanziger said at the time.
'Calling off this game was the right decision, there is no doubt about that.'
Although Rafati was voted the worst referee three times in the last four years in a poll of Bundesliga players conducted by Kicker magazine, he nevertheless earned his place on the FIFA refereeing register in 2008.
And given the reaction of two Bundesliga coaches, he is a well-liked personality.
'It is shocking,' said Hannover coach Mirko Slomka. 'Babak Rafati is a good friend in our club and in our team so we are particularly interested in knowing how he is.'
Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath added: 'Babak Rafati is one of the referees I like the most and I hope that we see him again soon in the Bundesliga.'
The president of the German Football Association, Dr Theo Zwanziger, has given the two assistant referees and the fourth official of Saturday's Bundesliga fixture between Cologne and Mainz credit for saving the life of referee Babak Rafati.
Rafati was discovered in his hotel room covered in blood after attempting to commit suicide several hours before the game was due to kick-off.
The game was postponed as Rafati was rushed to hospital, where he is in a stable condition in intensive
care.
'They have explained everything to me and to the police,' Zwanziger told Sky television in Germany. 'All I can say is compliments to them.
'They took immediate measures and kept their cool.
'It definitely took a lot to stabilise him and to contribute to him being able to remain alive.
'I have got to say that these three have saved his life. When they discovered him, they ensured that he could survive with quick emergency measures.'
It took less than 15 minutes for Rafati's assistants to realise that something was amiss when the normally punctual referee failed to show for a meeting in their hotel two hours before kick-off.
Attempts to call the 41-year-old proved futile while the referee did not respond when they knocked on his hotel door either.
With the aid of a hotel worker, they gained access to Rafati's room, where they were confronted with a horrific discovery in the bath tub.
'Only at 13:30, when he did not appear, did they start to worry and they reacted quickly.
'It is certainly a burden for them when a close friend, with whom they have worked together for a long time and officiated over important games, takes such a step.
'I think it still hasn't sunk in. I was pleased that they looked so composed, but I think that will change over the coming days.'
The three officials were provided with psychological care and Dr Zwanziger has promised that the German FA (DFB) will 'provide them with all of the help that the DFB can offer' to come to terms with
the experience.
But he expects them to be strong, given the nature of their job.
'You have got to be very tough to be able to cope with everything in this sport,' he said.
'Of course refereeing has become a very difficult job and there are a lot of demands placed on referees
nowadays.
'It is not so easy to describe when you hear how people who play such an important role in top-level sport suddenly arrive in a situation where they feel there is no way out, which means they see no alternative in life.
'That is quite terrible.'
Although there were boos when the announcement was made at the Mungersdorfer Stadion that the game was called off, the president of the German Football League Dr Reinhard Rauball insists there was no other choice.
'I am deeply shocked and I believe thateverybody connected with the Bundesliga feels the same way,' he said.
'Something like this has never happened before and it has deeply shocked people.
'If there was anything to be learnt from the death of Robert Enke, then it was that football is not everything in life, as Theo Zwanziger said at the time.
'Calling off this game was the right decision, there is no doubt about that.'
Although Rafati was voted the worst referee three times in the last four years in a poll of Bundesliga players conducted by Kicker magazine, he nevertheless earned his place on the FIFA refereeing register in 2008.
And given the reaction of two Bundesliga coaches, he is a well-liked personality.
'It is shocking,' said Hannover coach Mirko Slomka. 'Babak Rafati is a good friend in our club and in our team so we are particularly interested in knowing how he is.'
Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath added: 'Babak Rafati is one of the referees I like the most and I hope that we see him again soon in the Bundesliga.'
