updated 3:40 a.m. ET March 19, 2005

LONDON - Swedish soccer referee Anders Frisk retired a few days ago, hounded out by death threats sent by e-mail, fax and phone. Swiss colleague Urs Meier needed police protection last summer after receiving 16,000 hostile e-mails in 24 hours.

Referee Luiz Carlos Silva got in a fistfight in Brazil last weekend when a fan attacked him on the field.

Who would want such a job?

“I can guarantee you that, without change, there won’t be many of us wanting to referee when you know there’s a revolver at your head,” said French referee Bertrand Layec, who filed a police complaint recently after his family was threatened.

Referees are used to abuse. But Frisk’s abrupt departure, after what he termed the “worst three weeks” of his life, put the issue on the agenda when European soccer officials meet next month in Tallinn, Estonia.

“It’s a very serious matter when referees are threatened to such an extent that they give up the job,” said Mathieu Sprengers, treasurer of the European governing body known as UEFA. “Being a referee is now a very difficult profession.”

Respect for referees has ebbed. Most are part-timers in a game populated by millionaire players, coaches and owners. While other sports use video replays to help referees, the technology is barred by FIFA, the world governing body, and UEFA.

And, of course, the image of refs has not been helped by the soccer scandal in Germany, where referees are accused of playing a role in allegedly rigging games.

Frisk worked the 2002 World Cup championship game between Brazil and Germany, and was a top world referee until three weeks ago.

“I’ve had enough,” said the 42-year-old, who officiated 118 international games and was a top candidate for next year’s World Cup finals in Germany. “I don’t even know if I dare let my kids go to the post office. It’s gone too far.”

After a 2-1 loss at Barcelona in a Champions League game on Feb. 23, Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho claimed Frisk “had a direct influence in the result” of the match. Mourinho disputed a red card given to Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, a move that reduced the English team to 10 men.

He also alleged Frisk talked in the referees room at halftime with Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard, which Mourinho said influenced the second-half officiating.

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