Female Footballer Condemns Lenient Sentence for Referee Who Secretly Filmed Players in Changing Rooms
A former SCR Altach women's football player has expressed outrage after a court handed a former top-level Swiss referee a seven-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of £1,046 (€1,200) for secretly photographing and filming players in changing rooms and showers. The case, which has shaken Austrian football, involved the man using a concealed smartphone and filming through a keyhole during his tenure as an official at the Austrian club from 2020 to 2025.
Details of the Case and Court Proceedings
The defendant, who worked at SCR Altach, was accused of recording around 30 players, with the youngest born in 2007 and the oldest in 1995. He was ordered to pay each victim £544 (€620) in compensation. Over 100 spectators attended the courtroom in Feldkirch, near the Swiss border, highlighting the public interest in the trial. Although the defendant accepted the verdict, the public prosecutor is considering whether to appeal the decision.
During the trial, a statement from the victims was read aloud, expressing their devastation: 'We are young women, partly still young girls. What has happened has pulled the rug from under our feet. For years, he told us that the dressing room was our home, but this home was then destroyed by someone who we thought was part of this family.' A lawyer for the victims described the case as a 'catastrophe for women's football'.
Outrage from Players and Officials
Eleni Rittmann, 25, a former player for the top-flight Austrian team who was not among those identified in the recordings, posted a scathing statement on social media. 'This leaves me speechless,' she said. 'The perpetrator was not only a top-level referee in Switzerland but also an official at Altach. And that is where he filmed players, including minors. I then ask myself, is this an appropriate punishment?'
Rittmann further questioned the deterrent effect of the sentence: 'I also ask myself, does such a punishment act as a deterrent for others? We felt secure in our dressing room and this hurt our privacy so badly that some of us do not feel safe in public showers even now. For me, this is not a strong enough signal for something that is not tolerated in our society.' She noted that the verdict is not final, as the prosecutor has requested additional time to consider an appeal.
Austrian Sports Minister Michaela Schmidt labeled the alleged crimes 'disgusting' when they were first reported in October, stating, 'If female athletes are not even safe in their own dressing rooms because of an official, then they have nothing to stand on.'
Defendant's Response and Mitigating Factors
At the beginning of the trial, the defendant pleaded partially guilty. In his final words, he addressed the victims to apologize: 'I agree with the statements made by my lawyer, but I would still like to express my sympathy to all those affected and apologise for my actions.' The court mitigated the sentence by considering his partial confession and lack of prior convictions.
This case raises critical questions about justice, safety, and accountability in sports, particularly regarding the protection of young athletes from misconduct by those in positions of authority.
