Matches at the top level of Bermuda football face being called off unless clubs make a renewed commitment to security.

Premier and First Division games will not be played unless clubs provide appropriate security, referees warned on Monday night in a stand against escalating problems at games.

At a well-attended Bermuda Referees? Association meeting, officials agreed en masse not to start matches unless all four of the required security personnel were in place and a letter was sent out yesterday by Bermuda Football Association to all clubs to that effect.

The decision was made after last week?s incident at Somerset Cricket Club when a fan ran on the pitch, causing the game to be held up ? court proceedings have since begun.

?We have to take this issue seriously and be united on this,? said BRA president Richard Knight.

?There has to be a point where we say ?enough is enough?.

?As referees we don?t want to be calling off games, but if we are placing ourselves, the players and spectators at risk by going ahead without security, then we have to think again.

?If we fulfil our obligations by arriving at games 45 minutes before kick-off, then even if there are no security officials, there is plenty of time to warn the clubs to get them in place or face the game not being played.

?But if they don?t do that, then we will pack up our stuff and go home.

?The BFA have done their bit on this, it is now up to the clubs to take responsibility for security and it is up to us to make sure they do it by putting up a united front.?

As well as the incident at Somerset CC last Wednesday, the following day a woman ran on the pitch during a Division One game while Sunday?s Premier game at BAA was marred by fighting in the stands.

Knight added that the subject of security had increasingly been appearing on agendas for the referees? monthly meetings over the past five years and admitted it was getting worse.

BFA general secretary David Sabir backed the referees, encouraging them to make a stand against lax security.

?There are rules and regulations in place about security on match days,? he said.

?If clubs are not adhering to these, then there is no excuse for the referee starting the game. The clubs know what they have to do and if referees start games without clubs doing their bit, then the referee only has himself to blame if things go wrong.?

Despite the BFA backing the referees on this issue, the association has, as yet, refused to comment on whether the fan who ran on the pitch last Wednesday would be banned from grounds.

BFA president Larry Mussenden, who was seen chatting with the man in court on Monday, called last week for him to be banned from all grounds.

The fan, who has pleaded not guilty to unlawfully assaulting Antoine Augustus during the match, was under a curfew at the time and had been banned from attending football matches for the six months of his probation.