Another shadow of tragedy over the World Cup reaching the semifinals. Rob Dieperink, a Dutch referee who had been selected by Fifa to participate in the tournament, was found dead at 38 in Borculo. The causes of death are now under investigation but there is a terrible suspicion among insiders: that of a tragic act.
After the suicide of the 25-year-old South African midfielder Jayden Adams, who, overwhelmed by depression, took his own life a few days after playing three out of four matches with the Bafana Bafana and returning home, the football world mourns another of its protagonists.
The announcement of Dieperink’s death was made by the Dutch Football Association: “The refereeing world loses a highly appreciated whistleblower, with international experience, but above all a kind and involved colleague. Our thoughts go to his family, friends, and all those close to him.” Regarding the death, Dutch media, citing internal police sources, report that the involvement of other people is excluded.
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World Cup 2026, Jayden Adams dies at 25: had just played with South Africa
Mourning in the football world. The South African national team midfielder, Jayden Adams, has tragically passed away…
Referee in the Eredivisie since 2017, among the VAR officials at Euro 2024, Dieperink had just officiated last Saturday the friendly between Go Ahead Eagles and Apollon. The Dutch referee was supposed to be among the match officials employed at the World Cup, also as VAR, but last April, after being part of the refereeing team for Crystal Palace-Fiorentina in the Conference League, he was arrested in a London hotel on charges of sexual harassment against a 17-year-old. The case was later closed due to lack of evidence but it deeply affected Dieperink, and in fact that incident cost him the World Cup spot. It may have led him to take his own life.
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