Soucek Slams Online Abuse Directed At Referee Mike Dean
West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek has condemned online abuse and death threats aimed at referee Mike Dean and his family.
Dean has asked to be excused from this weekend’s round of Premier League games after he was harshly vilified online but he will still take charge of the midweek FA Cup fifth round tie between Leicester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at the King Power Stadium.
Together with Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, Soucek is one of two players who have been questionably dismissed by Dean in Premier League games in the past week.
Both players have had their red cards rescinded upon appeal, and Soucek would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
"Whatever decisions are made on the pitch should stay on the pitch," Soucek wrote on Twitter.
"I don’t like hearing about it interfering with personal life and I send Mike Dean and his family my support. There is no place for abuse of any kind. It is in the past and I’m now focused on the rest of the season."
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters echoed Soucek’s words, saying in a statement: "It is inexcusable that Mike Dean and his family have received online abuse, including death threats, as a result of doing his job officiating at a Premier League match."
"It is completely unacceptable that we are seeing abusive behaviour aimed at players, managers and match officials regularly on social media platforms.
"Mike and his family have our full support in reporting this to the police. This once again highlights the need for greater proactive intervention from social media companies to stop online abuse and identify offenders."
