Retiring Referee Patrick Ittrich Reflects on Career, Pressure, and Saving Babak Rafati
Patrick Ittrich, a respected Bundesliga referee and police officer, is retiring at the end of the season after officiating nearly 300 professional games. In an interview with Die Welt, the 47-year-old discusses the evolving demands of modern football, including increased athletic requirements and the mental toll of technical innovations like VAR and security protocols. Ittrich addresses the intense pressure referees face, citing verbal attacks from high-profile figures like Uli Hoeneß and his own experience receiving death threats. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the traumatic 2011 incident where Ittrich and two colleagues saved fellow referee Babak Rafati from a suicide attempt. Ittrich reveals that this event haunted him for years and that he has not spoken to Rafati since, expressing regret over their lack of closure despite being glad Rafati is recovering. As he prepares for his final match between Union Berlin and FC Augsburg, Ittrich highlights emerging talents like Daniel Siebert and Sven Jablonski as future figureheads for German refereeing, emphasizing that the profession remains in capable hands despite the departure of several senior officials.
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Retiring Referee Patrick Ittrich Reflects on Career, Pressure, and Saving Babak Rafati
Patrick Ittrich, a respected Bundesliga referee and police officer, is retiring at the end of the season after officiating nearly 300 professional games. In an interview with Die Welt, the 47-year-old discusses the evolving demands of modern football, including increased athletic requirements and the mental toll of technical innovations like VAR and security protocols. Ittrich addresses the intense pressure referees face, citing verbal attacks from high-profile figures like Uli Hoeneß and his own experience receiving death threats. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the traumatic 2011 incident where Ittrich and two colleagues saved fellow referee Babak Rafati from a suicide attempt. Ittrich reveals that this event haunted him for years and that he has not spoken to Rafati since, expressing regret over their lack of closure despite being glad Rafati is recovering. As he prepares for his final match between Union Berlin and FC Augsburg, Ittrich highlights emerging talents like Daniel Siebert and Sven Jablonski as future figureheads for German refereeing, emphasizing that the profession remains in capable hands despite the departure of several senior officials.
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