‘Keep the kids out of it’: Sydney school calls in police after soccer brawl threats

Threats and taunts to one of the sons of soccer referee Khoder Yaghi — whose jaw was shattered in alleged on-field assault — escalated beyond the playground to online chat groups. His school called the cops in.

A Sydney high school was forced to call in police after threats and taunts towards the son of soccer referee Khoder Yaghi escalated beyond the playground.

Mr Yaghi, 45, who suffered a shattered jaw during an alleged assault at a game in Greenacre a fortnight ago, had tried to shield his four young sons from the horror of what happened to him that night.

The veteran referee had just finished officiating a men’s premier league game on April 28, when suspended player Adam Abdallah, 25, is accused of approaching him from behind and allegedly punching and kicking him, fracturing his jaw and knocking out multiple teeth.

Mr Yaghi said his eldest son was struggling seeing his dad and “hero” injured, but it had been made worse by older students at school bullying him.

Yesterday, the school called police after threats towards the boy were discovered in online chat groups.

Referee Khoder Yaghi with one of his sons, Mikaeel, 4, at home in western Sydney on Wednesday, left.Khoder is recovering after he was allegedly assaulted and had his jaw broken, right, while refereeing a soccer game at Greenacre on April 28. Pictures: John Grainger/Supplied

“Keep the kids out of this … People have been saying to him “Your dad started it”, and we’ve just told him to ignore it and walk away,” Mr Yaghi said.

NSW Police confirmed they were called to a school in Sydney’s southwest due to threats of violence, and that investigations were ongoing.

Mr Yaghi tries to protect himself on the ground as the alleged assault unfolds. Picture: Supplied

Mr Yaghi is staring down a three to six-month recovery period before he can return to the soccer field.

He wants to use that time to try and educate people, and drive out violence in sport by teaching people that ‘you can’t always win’.

“If I have to be the victim for us to get to a better place (in contact sport safety), I’m happy to be it,” Mr Yaghi said.

“Any contact sport brings violence. But people don’t know how to lose. We need to accept winning and losing is part of the game.”

The alleged attacker, Adam Abdullah. Picture: Supplied

Khoder Yaghi is staring down a three to six-month recovery period. Picture: John Grainger

The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed that Sports Minister Steve Kamper had drafted a plan to stamp out physical and verbal abuse at local sports matches which could see parents and spectators slapped with lifetime bans across all levels of the game, including stadiums and grassroots sporting grounds.

Mr Yaghi said he fully supported the radical plans being considered to crack down on people who abuse referees, and added that anyone issued with a suspension for a violence-related offence should not be allowed to attend any games.

Mr Yaghi did not want to focus on the amateur boxer accused of attacking him who was on a three year suspension at the time, instead saying “the legal system will deal with that”.

For now, it’s his mental health first, then improving the safety of soccer.

“God looked after me that night … I honestly thought I was going to die,” he said.

“I’ve started having nightmares, I’m fearing people coming to kill me and choke me. I’m waking every two hours.”

Abdallah was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and refused bail.

He is due to appear in court again next month.