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What is the story?
The Dutch Football Association today, Monday, announced the death of international referee Rob DeBrink at the age of 38, expressing its great shock and sadness without disclosing the cause of death.
DeBrink’s death comes weeks after he was banned from officiating at the 2026 World Cup following his arrest in the United Kingdom on charges of sexually assaulting a teenager, an incident that sparked widespread controversy in soccer circles.
The late referee was on the original list of referees for this summer’s World Cup before his career suffered a severe setback after he was arrested in Britain on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenage boy.
Although the case was later dropped, FIFA made the sweeping decision to permanently remove DeBrink’s name from the list of World Cup referees, a move some saw as a precaution to preserve the tournament’s reputation.
In previous statements, DeBrink has expressed his deep sadness at what he has been subjected to, saying he is “very saddened that he has been unfairly accused”, adding that he is “very disappointed” to be denied participation in football’s biggest global event.
The Dutch Football Association has not yet released any official statement that would clarify the circumstances of the death or whether it was related to the psychological pressures that the late referee was subjected to recently.
DeBrink was considered one of Europe’s most popular up-and-coming referees, having refereed many major international matches before his career ended tragically.
