[gazzae]

Meier forced into hiding

Swiss referee Urs Meier has been forced to go into hiding after a hate campaign waged by the English media following his decision to disallow Sol Campbell's goal in the Euro 2004 quarter-final.

Meier has seen details of his private life splashed all over The Sun, who also published his e-mail address and laid a giant England flag outside his home in Switzerland.

He has received death threats and a barrage of hate mail after being held accountable for England's exit from Euro 2004 with his decision during the clash with Portugal.

Meier has even called upon the police to protect him and his family.

"I have security problems and this is not the right way to handle referees' decisions, whether they are right or wrong.

"The police are here with me now as we speak. I'm not going to leave Switzerland but am somewhere where nobody knows me."

Meanwhile 22-year-old Swiss girl Manu Peyer was attacked by England fans and left with a broken arm on a Greek island - and she believes that she was being punished for Meier's actions.

"I think they beat me up because of Meyer's ominous call on the goal," Peyer told Swiss radio.