Dutch soccer referee Rob Dieperink has died weeks after he was dropped from officiating on the World Cup following a police investigation within the UK.
Dieperink had been chosen to be a video assistant referee (VAR) official at this summer time’s match, however was faraway from Fifa’s listing of World Cup officers in Could.
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The 38-year-old was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in April following a report of a sexual assault in opposition to a teenage boy, however the case was dropped due to a scarcity of proof.
The Netherlands’ soccer affiliation, the KNVB, mentioned they had been “shocked and deeply saddened” by Dieperink’s dying.
His reason for dying has not been disclosed.
“With Rob, we lose a extremely valued referee, however above all a form and devoted colleague,” the KNVB mentioned in an announcement.
“Our ideas exit to his household, associates, and everybody who held him expensive. We want them a lot power and assist in processing this nice loss.”
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Dieperink had refereed within the Eredivisie since 2017 and was a VAR official at Euro 2024.
After he was dropped from the World Cup, Dieperink mentioned he had been “wrongly accused” in an interview with Dutch newspaper .
“It saddens me vastly that I’ve been wrongly accused,” he mentioned.
“From the start, I’ve absolutely cooperated within the police investigation and in addition instantly gave full openness to Fifa, Uefa and the KNVB.
“I’m grateful for the assist I’ve obtained from the KNVB and the best way through which they’ve handled this case. It’s a pity that Fifa has determined to not appoint me for the World Cup any extra, after all I’m disenchanted about that.”
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Dieperink was the VAR for ‘s 3-0 Europa Convention League quarter-final first-leg win over on 9 April.
A Metropolitan Police assertion mentioned: “On Thursday, 9 April, officers responded to a report of a sexual assault in opposition to a teenage boy, which occurred at an tackle on Wellesley Highway, Croydon.
“A person in his 30s was subsequently arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
“Officers accomplished a radical investigation and reviewed all out there proof, together with gathering CCTV and inspecting digital gadgets.
“Following these enquiries, they concluded that the evidential threshold had not been met. No additional motion will likely be taken.”