Rob Dieperink (18 April 1988 – c. 13 July 2026) was a Dutch football referee. He was employed by the KNVB and officiated matches in the Eerste Divisie and Eredivisie.
 Dieperink in 2025 | |||
| Born |
18 April 1988 Borculo, Netherlands | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Died |
c. 13 July 2026 (aged 38) Borculo, Netherlands | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2012–2017 | Eerste Divisie | Referee | |
| 2017–2026 | Eredivisie | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2024–2026 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Biography
editDieperink made his Eerste Divisie debut in the 2011–12 season, in the match between Telstar and Go Ahead Eagles, where he issued four yellow cards.[1] He made his top-flight debut in 4 November 2017, in the match between Excelsior and Roda JC on matchday eleven of the Eredivisie.[2]
In April 2024, Dieperink was selected as video assistant referee (VAR) for the UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany.[3][4] He was also appointed to officiating pool for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[5]
On 9 April 2026, after having acted as VAR in the Conference League match between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina, Dieperink was arrested by the English police in the hotel where he was staying, on suspicion of the sexual assault of a teenage boy.[6] The police analysed CCTV and electronic devices, and decided that there was insufficient evidence to charge him, and no further action was taken.[7] Because of this episode, he was excluded from the list of referees called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he was supposed to be part of the Dutch team led by referee Danny Makkelie as VAR.[6]
Dieperink refereed his last match on 11 July 2026, during a friendly match between Go Ahead Eagles and Apollon Limassol (0–3). Two days later, he was found dead in his home on 13 July 2026, at the age of 38.[8][9]
References
edit- ↑ "Eerste Divisie » Telstar tegen Go Ahead Eagles » Opstelling". voetbal.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "Nuchtere Dieperink kijkt uit naar debuut Eredivisie". Hollandi Kuninglik Jalgpalliliit (in Dutch). 1 November 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
- ↑ Ryan Dabbs published (17 June 2024). "Euro 2024: Who is the referee and VAR for Romania vs Ukraine?". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ "Referee teams for UEFA EURO 2024 appointed". UEFA. 23 April 2024.
- ↑ "FIFA match officials appointed for Olympic Football Tournaments Paris 2024". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- 1 2 "Scheidsrechter Dieperink niet naar WK na aanhouding in Engeland" (in Dutch). NOS. 15 May 2026.
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy06ej10n3xo
- ↑ "Voetbalscheidsrechter Rob Dieperink (38) overleden" (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ Jack McEachen (13 July 2026). "Referee Rob Dieperink, 38, dies suddenly after being dropped for World Cup". Retrieved 13 July 2026.