On Friday (4 March), the board of the Lower Silesian Football Association decided to dismiss football referee Waldemar Socha from his position as chairman of the Jelenia Góra Referees’ College. Waldemar Socha, a respected referee from the Bolesławiec branch, had served as chairman of the college since July 2020. The decision to dismiss him surprised both the man concerned and part of the refereeing community, mainly those associated with the Bolesławiec branch.
Unofficially, it is said that the decision to dismiss him may have been influenced by a letter sent to the Lower Silesian Football Association by a group of Jelenia Góra referees, who allegedly criticised the way Waldemar Socha performed his duties. On the one hand, he is accused of concentrating power in his own hands and favouring referees from the Bolesławiec region.
On the other hand, some say that he was simply demanding of everyone, which some people did not like, and that the decision was a personal manoeuvre. Following the Lower Silesian Football Association’s decision to dismiss the chairman, Andrzej Urban and Marek Warek also resigned from the board of the Jelenia Góra Referees’ College.
The jg24.pl portal jg24.pl is providing extensive coverage of Waldemar Socha’s dismissal:
The information was confirmed to us by Lower Silesian Football Association president Andrzej Padewski. He admits that some letter reached the association, but says it had no major bearing on the board’s decision. According to Padewski, there were also other factors that led to the decision to dismiss Socha. He sees nothing extraordinary or worth discussing in the decision. “It is simply one of the personnel changes that take place from time to time within the structures of our association. That is what the board is there for—to make decisions. I see no reason why we should explain them,” says the Lower Silesian Football Association president.
It appears that the refereeing community has become divided. Some of its members disagree with the Lower Silesian Football Association’s decision. We have learned that a letter was sent to the association by referees who disagree with the dismissal of the former chairman. Referees from the Bolesławiec branch announce that they will not stop there and, if their concerns are ignored, will appeal to higher authorities.
Meanwhile, referees from the Jelenia Góra community are reportedly planning a protest if the dismissal decision is reversed. It is also possible that some referees, as part of the protest, will not appear at upcoming matches in the district, meaning those matches may not take place. Referees who fail to appear at matches as part of the protest may face consequences. The matter will be discussed at Monday’s meeting of the Lower Silesian Referees’ College.