( CNN ) -- For decades they have been showered with abuse from almost every corner of the football ground ; from managers , players and fans alike . But it seems that Scottish referees have blown the whistle and decided that enough is enough . Next weekend officials from the Scottish Premier League ( SPL ) have voted to stage a walkout in protest at what they see as an unacceptable level of abuse they have received in recent months , abuse that they believe has threatened their safety . The Scottish Football Association ( SFA ) immediately vowed to avert the planned action with president George Peat calling the referees ' decision `` a sad day for Scottish football . '' He told reporters : `` We will do everything we possibly can to broker a deal before the weekend because it 's obviously important that officials are on duty . `` We do not condone the strike but we must sympathize with the grievances of the referees . It 's built up until they could take no more . `` The behavior of some people in recent weeks has tarnished the image of Scottish football . It has demeaned the game . The climate of inference , innuendo and conspiracy theories must stop . '' There have also been reports of referees receiving death threats and being abused in the street by supporters . Last week , the Scottish National Party 's sport spokesman , MP Pete Wishart , suggested SPL referees should be forced to declare which team they support , an idea backed by Celtic chairman John Reid . Celtic have been at the forefront of the debate , with Reid last week calling for the resignation of referee Dougie McDonald after a controversial incident during the club 's 2-1 victory at Dundee United on October 17 . McDonald reversed his decision to award Celtic a penalty after claiming his assistant Steve Craven had alerted him to the mistake . But McDonald later admitted that it was he alone who overturned the decision and was warned by the SFA as a result . Reid was quoted as saying : `` If the SFA had any sense of their own integrity , they should look at it again . His position is completely untenable . The SFA 's position on this issue is also untenable . '' At his press conference Peat called Reid 's remarks `` unhelpful '' and insinuated Celtic 's behavior over the past few weeks had contributed to the referees ' decision to strike . Peat said he hoped the strike would be called off but admitted that the SFA would look at bringing officials in from other parts of the UK in a bid to ensure this weekend 's matches go ahead .
Scotland 's top referees vote to go on strike after their integrity is questioned by clubs . Officials have come in for sustained criticism from top flight clubs in last week . SFA president Dougie McDonald called it a `` sad day for Celtic football '' Scottish recent weeks called for the resignation of referee Dougie McDonald .