Rob Dieperink, a Dutch football referee who was removed from the World Cup officiating pool after being investigated by police for sexual assault, has died at the age of 38.

The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.

According to a report by the BBC on July 14 (KST), Dieperink was initially scheduled to serve as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for this World Cup, but was removed from the FIFA referee list in May.

Previously, he was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police in April on charges of sexually assaulting a teenage boy in London, United Kingdom.

The police conducted an investigation, including securing CCTV footage, but closed the case without further action due to insufficient evidence.

Despite being cleared of the charges, his removal from the World Cup roster led Dieperink to state to local Dutch media, "It is disappointing that FIFA decided not to assign me to the World Cup even though I cooperated actively with the investigation and cleared my name."

Having served as a referee in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch professional football, since 2017, he also worked as a VAR official at the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024).

(Photo: Screenshot from FIFA website, Yonhap News)