Referees yesterday announced a boycott of matches which could confine soccer to the sidelines for the next two weeks.

Match officials decided to withdraw their services in response to last Saturday's alleged attack on referee Perry Scott by North Village Rams player Kacy Simons during a Commercial League match.

Scott was hospitalised with facial injuries and the incident snapped the patience of referees already fed up with the verbal abuse regularly thrown at them.

This weekend's full senior programme, including Premier Division, First Division, Commercial League and Women's Division matches, is almost certain to be postponed.

And it is likely that soccer fans will have no matches to go to the following weekend either.

A statement released by the Bermuda Referees' Association yesterday said members would not officiate again until they had submitted their "urgent recommendations'' to the Bermuda Football Association -- which they plan to do two weeks from today.

An emergency meeting between executive members of the BFA and BRA has been called for today in a last-ditch bid to save the weekend programme.

The BRA has been overstretched this season by a shortage of qualified match officials and has taken steps to try and recruit new members.

Full story in Sport, Page 17