Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. In 2016, while refereeing a top-tier match in Georgia, a misunderstanding over timekeeping led to furious protests from one of the teams.

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“When the supporters saw their players getting emotional, they became very emotional and started swearing,” he told The Telegraph.

What happened next was shocking. As chaos erupted, Amashukeli was attacked and stabbed in the leg, losing a significant amount of blood.

“I looked down, blood was pouring out. I had been stabbed,” he recalled.

The perpetrator was never found, and the traumatic incident nearly ended his career. However, after a period of reflection, he decided to continue officiating and has since established himself as one of the top referees in world rugby.