[size=3] http://www.telegraph…in-Holland.html[/size]
[size=3] Dutch linesman dies after post-match beating by teenage players in Holland[/size]
[size=3] A linesman affiliated to Dutch youth club Buitenboys has died after being assaulted by players in a match on Sunday.[/size]
[size=3]Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was rushed to hospital after being punched and kicked by players from opponents Nieuw-Sloten.[/size]
[size=3]His club announced on Twitter: “With great sadness we announce the death of our Buitenboys linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen. Our thoughts are with his family.[/size]
[size=3]“Our linesman Richard died at 17:30 in front of his family. This violence must stop on the pitch! #stopsenselessviolence.”[/size]
[size=3]According to reports in Holland, three Nieuwe-Sloten players, aged 15-16, were arrested for alleged involvement in the attack, which occurred in the town of Almere.[/size]
[size=3]The Amsterdam club have responded by banning the players involved in the incident, withdrawing from the league in which the game took place and temporarily suspending all their operations as a club.[/size]
[size=3]A statement on the club’s website read: “The board of sv Nieuw-Sloten learned with horror of the death of the linesman of Buitenboys. We are deeply shocked by the fact that the match yesterday degenerated so badly, with this result.[/size]
[size=3]“We express here our sympathy, firstly to the family of the deceased person. Words fail us. In addition, we also express our sympathy to the Buitenboys club and all its members.[/size]
[size=3]“We distance ourselves strongly from the behaviour of the players who are responsible. As an association, when we were aware of wrongdoing, we apologised to Buitenboys.[/size]
[size=3]“For our club, this is a huge shock, an event that touches all of our members. Violence should not be on the football fields, and certainly not against referees, linesmen and all those others who volunteer.”[/size]
[size=3]The attack in Almere was even discussed at a news conference in Spain on the eve of Ajax’s Champions League match against Real Madrid.[/size]
[size=3]“You can’t imagine it happening,” said Ajax coach Frank de Boer. “That boys of 15, 16 years short-circuit like that. You wonder about the parenting.”[/size]