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Europa League final referee Anthony Taylor was escorted by security at Budapest Airport following Wednesday’s match after a group of angry Roma supporters surrounded him and his family. Video posted to social media showed a chair being thrown in their direction.
Taylor, 44, was waiting for his flight Thursday when he was recognized by a group of Roma fans among the many supporters who blamed the longtime English official for the team’s shootout loss to Sevilla in the final.
AS Roma players argue with referee Anthony Taylor of England as he awards Sevilla FC a penalty shot during the UEFA Europa League 2022-23 final match between Sevilla FC and AS Roma at Puskas Arena May 31, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
In the videos shared on Twitter, Taylor is seen being escorted away from the crowds. At one point, video shows an unidentified man throwing a chair in the direction of Taylor and his family.
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"PGMOL is aware of videos circulating on social media showing Anthony Taylor and his family being harassed and abused at Budapest Airport," the Professional Game Match Officials Limited wrote in a statement Thursday.
"We are appalled at the unjustified and abhorrent abuse directed at Anthony and his family as he tries to make his way home from refereeing the UEFA Europa League final. We will continue to provide our full support to Anthony and his family."
Referee Anthony Taylor gestures during a penalty shootout at the end of the UEFA Europa League 2022-23 final match between Sevilla FC and AS Roma at Puskas Arena May 31, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
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According to a report from The Athletic, a 42-year-old Italian man was arrested. It was not immediately clear what his involvement in the incident was.
"Anthony Taylor, the referee of the UEFA Europa League final, was involved in an incident at Ferenc Liszt International (Budapest) Airport yesterday evening. Fans of the losing Roma team recognized the referee in the food court of the airport, where he was waiting for his flight to depart," a joint statement from the airport and police said, via The Athletic.
"Thanks to the airport operator’s close cooperation with the police and the increased police presence at the airport during the arrival and departure of the fans, the authorities intervened immediately, and the referee was escorted to a lounge and boarded his flight safely, accompanied by police officers."
Salvatore Foti, an AS Roma assistant coach, reacts as colleague Giovanni Cerra, an AS Roma technical coach, is shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor May 31, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
Roma coach José Mourinho was also charged by UEFA on Friday for using "insulting/abusive language against a match official" during Wednesday’s contest. It was among a series of disciplinary cases opened by UEFA.
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UEFA also addressed the situation regarding Taylor and his family, saying it "vehemently condemns violent behavior" and called on players, coaches and fans to respect referees.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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