Polish Referee Pawel Raczkowski Accused of Drinking Before Match in Greece Greek sports newspaper Sport24 is reporting that referee Pawel Raczkowski, a 39-year-old Polish official, got drunk before the AEK vs Aris Salonica match during the fourth round of the Greek League’s champion phase. According to the same source, Raczkowski, along with assistant referees Radoslav Siecka and Adam Kupsik, and VAR Krzysztof Jakubik, got drunk on the way to Athens, causing problems with other passengers on the plane and later disappearing. However, Pawel Raczkowski denied the allegations when reached by the Polish portal Wezlo. “I was attacked by a Panathinaikos fan after landing in Athens. He spat on me and hit me. This man was drunk and threatened to ruin my reputation in the media. He rose from his seat and said he was a fan of Panathinaikos and that he would ruin us. We wanted to go to the police, but the authorities in Greece said we would spend the whole night in the police station, knowing that there was an important match the next day. So the best option was to go to the hotel,” he said. Despite Raczkowski’s denial, the Greek Football Federation announced on Sunday that Aristotelis Diamantopoulos would replace the Polish referee for the aforementioned match. Allegations like these are likely to cause concern among football fans and authorities worldwide. Drinking is strictly prohibited for referees and assistant referees before matches, as it can affect their judgement and compromise the integrity of the match. Such incidents undermine the credibility of sports officials and bring the integrity of the game into question. Football authorities must remain vigilant in ensuring that referees and other officials adhere to strict codes of professionalism and conduct.
