Five reports about on-pitch amateur football violence were made to the Dutch football association hotline this weekend, all of which involved youth teams.

The complaints ranged from kicking and spitting to threats, and several involved parents, Nos television said. In addition, the KNVB is in contact with another club where there was a violent incident, the broadcaster reporter.

It is the first time the hotline has been operational since it was announced last week as part of a new strategy to crack down on football-related violence.

The KNVB refused to name the clubs involved, but did say all the complaints involved youth matches and one involved a girls’ team.

The Hague

According to Dutch press reports, one is likely to be an incident in The Hague on Saturday, when a referee was attacked by parents at a game of nine and 10-year-olds. Police were called to the incident and the referee was treated by a doctor. He denies also throwing punches.

According to news agency ANP, in Apeldoorn, two boys aged 16 and 17 were arrested after a 19-year-old boy was kicked while lying on the ground during a youth match.

Another problem match is thought to have involved 13 and 14-year-old boys from Driemond and Amstelveen, who started fighting. The club plans to take disciplinary action against the boys. The police are also involved in that incident.

The KNVB get-tough policy follows the death of a football linesman in Almere last year after he was attacked by 16 and 17-year-old boys from a rival club.