Sydney Jordan; 23 de maio de 2026 00:01+03:00; Com tradução de. Bas Nijhuis appeared on the program “Vandaag Inside” to discuss the situation involving referee Rob Dieperink and the KNVB’s role in managing it. Dieperink had been arrested in London following a Conference League match between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina, initially under suspicion of three crimes, including the sexual abuse of a minor.
However, all charges against Dieperink were subsequently dropped by the London police due to a lack of evidence. Nijhuis explained that initial reports, originating from The Sun and then picked up by De Telegraaf, created a significant stir, with the newspaper preparing to publish very damaging headlines.
Nijhuis commended the KNVB’s effective handling of the situation. Raymond van Meenen, the head of referees, invited De Telegraaf and provided full transparency, sharing all details of what had transpired since April 9th. This proactive and transparent approach by the KNVB, according to Nijhuis, ensured that the story was reported accurately and prevented a major scandal from unfolding. …and, as a result, everything went well.”
Johan Derksen hopes the referee will suffer greatly from the accusations. “That’s the issue now. FIFA said he won’t go to the World Cup. That was a disappointment for him. But FIFA, naturally, wants referees with impeccable conduct. It’s simply a very sensitive issue,” Nijhuis assesses.
Nijhuis hopes that UEFA will re-assign Dieperink to the Champions League. He believes that, before taking action, it’s necessary to prove that the referee actually did something. “The only advantage you have is that you would never hit on 17-year-old boys,” Derksen jokes, to which Nijhuis responds with a laugh.
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