Insulting referees is a right, rules European court

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that criticizing soccer referees is protected free speech but accusing them of corruption without evidence crosses legal boundaries. The court reviewed cases involving Porto soccer club and its officials, who faced Portuguese punishments for media attacks on referees, particularly in matches against rival Benfica. While the court dismissed most claims of corruption, it deemed some referee-related criticism acceptable, noting that referees in high-profile matches face heightened public scrutiny.