‘We’ll kill you with AIDS’ death threats made to gay referee
Spanish football referee Jesús Tomillero, who quit in May and later changed his mind, has received death threats after returning to the sport.
The 21-year-old, who is Spain’s first openly gay football referee, has spoken of how he is “really, really scared”, but will continue referring.
In May, he gave up football due to a large amount of homophobic abuse. However, he later reversed his decision refusing to give in to bigots.
On Saturday, following a game between CD Lasalle and Atlético Zabal, Tomillero started to receive death threats on social media for awarding a penalty to Zabal.
One read, “You son of a bitch. You messed with the club. We’ll kill you with Aids, you faggot.”
Another featured photographs of handguns, with the caption, “Not long left to live, faggot.”
Speaking to the Guardian on Tuesday, Tomillero said the first comments came after he posted what had happened in the match and he was shocked by the abuse.
“I had a fit of nerves and didn’t know what to do,” he said.
“But we got into a taxi and went to the police.
“They’re investigating the case, not just here but all over Spain. There are police officers outside my house 24 hours a day, but I’m still afraid and I don’t know what could happen.”
However, he added he was going to keep referring “whatever the costs” but said, “I am really, really scared”.
In June, the newly crowned Mr Spain made history by becoming the first ever contestant to come out as gay.
