Sydney soccer referee attack: Khoder Yaghi surgery as Adam Abdallah fronts court

A man who allegedly attacked a Sydney soccer referee, shattering his jaw and dislodging three teeth, has been denied bail with a magistrate claiming he was an ‘unacceptable threat’ to the community.

A man who allegedly punched and kicked a referee multiple times in the face and left him with a broken jaw following a weekend soccer match in Sydney’s southwest has been denied bail.

Adam Abdallah, 25, an amateur boxer, was charged with affray and wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a men’s premier league game at Padstow Park on Friday night.

Referee Khoder Yaghi was left bleeding with a fractured jaw and three missing teeth as a result of the incident and was undergoing surgery on Monday to repair the damage.

Abdallah appeared via audiovisual link at Bankstown Local Court on Monday wearing a black hoodie as more than a dozen of Abdallah’s supporters, including his wife, father, mother and friends, gathered in the courtroom.

The prosecution showed footage of the incident but Abdallah’s solicitor Talal Krayem said the “footage captured part of the concerned”, not the “totality”.

Adam Abdallah, 25, was arrested at Bankstown police station and charged in relation to the incident. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr Krayem said the alleged victim allegedly used a sideline flag made of stainless steel to strike Abdallah’s face with “significant” blows which caused him to fall to the ground.

But Mr Walsh said the photographs provided of Abdallah’s injuries show “minor bruising, not consistent with the lack of consciousness or lack of memory which (Abdallah) professes to have about the offending behaviour”.

The court also heard a group of bystanders and players from the soccer clubs tried to separate Abdallah and Yaghi before they dispersed.

The application was denied as Magistrate Glen Walsh said Abdallah had an “unacceptable risk of committing a further offence.”

“My view is that was a concerted effort to beat a man savagely,” Mr Walsh said.

“He portrays an incapacity to control … he could become upset and that risk is a concern.”

Mr Walsh said Abdallah made a “concerted effort to chase after the man” and while his ADHD diagnosis was considered, the risk of him continuing to offend was “too great”.

Spectators were shocked as the incident unfolded in front of them. Picture: Supplied

The prosecutor argued Abdallah’s release would put the community at risk as the type of violence could be displayed again as there was “so little provocation towards the defendant.”

“This is an attack at a community-based soccer game, a family friendly environment with people playing with children,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor confirmed there was no link between Abdallah and the referee.

“If the defendant is willing to show this level of violence over something so minor he would be a constant threat if on bail to anyone who disagrees with him,” the prosecutor said.

Video of the sickening incident emerged over the weekend, allegedly showing Yaghi, 45, being confronted by Abdallah at the end of Greenacre Eagles’ 5-1 loss to Padstow Hornets.

Yaghi was allegedly pushed to the ground by Abdallah who continued to throw multiple punches to his face.

Khoder Yaghi’s jaw was broken in multiple places and he lost three teeth. Picture: Supplied

“He broke my jaw, he broke my jaw,” Mr Yaghi was heard saying in the chilling audio.

Abdallah was arrested at Bankstown Police Station about 2.40pm on Sunday and subsequently charged.

Mr Walsh adjourned the matter to Burwood Local Court on June 28.

Mr Yaghi’s wife Fay Yaghi told The Telegraph her husband wouldn’t stop refereeing despite the incident.

“He was referee-of-the-year for two years … This won’t stop him, despite the (alleged) cowardly attack,” Mrs Yaghi said.

“He’s having an operation to reconstruct his jaw (on Monday),” Mrs Yaghi said on Sunday. “He was in intensive care and they’ve only just stopped the bleeding.”

Mrs Yaghi also described the moment she first saw her husband after the incident and how plans for a dream holiday to Bali are now in tatters as a result of the attack.

Khoder Yaghi is helped from the field after the incident. Picture: Supplied

Khoder Yaghi has vowed to keep refereeing. Picture: Facebook

“I’m shocked. I got a phone call in the middle of the night that my husband has been brutally bashed and sent to hospital,” Ms Yaghi told Ben Fordham on 2GB.

“As soon as I saw him I started crying I broke out in tears, He was all bruised up, swelling and bleeding non-stop, they could barely stop the bleeding till yesterday.

“We were meant to fly out on Sunday from Sydney to Bali and Singapore … and now we can’t go because my husband was bashed.”

Mr Yaghi claimed a spectator began abusing the referees over decisions made during the game, which then got some players involved, and things got heated.

“This guy was already suspended (from playing in the Greenacre team). Referees didn’t do any mistakes. He just jumped the fence and started to fight with us,” told The Daily Telegraph in a text message from hospital, while he’s unable to speak due to his injuries.

“No f**king way will this stop me. Never. I’m going to referee ‘til I die,”

Greenacre Eagles condemned the violence and released a statement saying it had chosen to withdraw its team from the first-grade competition.

People raced to try and diffuse the situation. Picture: Supplied

“As a result of the incident that occurred following the conclusion of the match, our club has made the decision to withdraw the team from the competition for the remainder of the 2023 season,” the statement said.

“As a result of the incident that occurred following the conclusion of the match, our club has made the decision to withdraw the team from the competition for the remainder of the 2023 season,” the statement said.

“This serves as a reminder to all that violence will not be tolerated at our club.”

The club refused to comment on why Abdallah was currently suspended from playing, but The Daily Telegraph understands it was due to an unrelated incident at a game several weeks ago.

Football NSW said it was aware of the incident and would take whatever action was necessary to stamp out violence at games.

“Football NSW has zero tolerance for any anti-social behaviour from any of its participants at any time and will be providing ongoing assistance and support to the Bankstown Football Association on this matter over the ensuing weeks,” the statement said.