Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:42pm on 13 Jul 2026,Monday Sports
Dutch referee Rob Dieperink has died aged 38, weeks after being removed from FIFA World Cup 2026 officiating duties following his arrest in London over allegations of sexual assault that were later dropped. Dutch authorities are investigating the cause of his death. The Royal Dutch Football Association expressed shock and condolences, describing Dieperink as a respected international referee and valued colleague. FIFA had withdrawn him from the World Cup despite UK police closing the case without further action after determining the evidential threshold had not been met. Dieperink officiated 84 Eredivisie matches and also served as a video assistant referee at UEFA Euro 2024 before his final domestic assignment in May. (PC: Getty Images)
