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Referee Dieperink Found Dead, Probe After Dropped Assault Case

7/14/2026

33 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Rob Dieperink Dies

Referee Rob Dieperink died at age 38 in the Netherlands on July 13 2026.
An investigation opened after his body was found near his home, noting his removal from Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s 2026 World Cup list in May following an April arrest on suspicion of sexual assault of a teenage boy.
Metropolitan Police dropped the case on April 9, saying threshold was not met and no charges would be filed.

Summary

Egyptian FA Demands

The Egyptian Football Association demanded an inquiry into referee Willy Delajod after his controversial calls in the Argentina-Egypt Round of 16 match.
FIFA appointed Willy Delajod to the VAR team for the 2026 World Cup as referee Dieperink’s replacement.
Referee Dieperink’s last assignment was a friendly between Go Ahead Eagles and Apollon the Saturday before his death, showing his continued activity in domestic matches.

History

Historical Context

Massimo De Santis, a former Italian referee, was barred for four years in July 2006 after the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal and received a 23-month prison term in November 2011. His 2009 acquittal of fraud charges and the 2015 dismissal of related prosecutions kept referee integrity in focus, prompting FIFA to maintain stricter officiating oversight.

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Rob Dieperink Dies

Referee Rob Dieperink died at age 38 in the Netherlands on July 13 2026.
An investigation opened after his body was found near his home, noting his removal from Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s 2026 World Cup list in May following an April arrest on suspicion of sexual assault of a teenage boy.
Metropolitan Police dropped the case on April 9, saying threshold was not met and no charges would be filed.

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