Читать книгу Unforgettable Soccer - Luciano Wernicke - Страница 27

Regulation authorizes the referee to modify his decision only if he realizes that it is incorrect, or if he deems it necessary, after a suggestion from an assistant referee or the fourth referee, provided he has not resumed the game or finished the match. This provision could be very useful except that it is often abused, and the consequence can be detrimental, as seen during a soccer match in Israel in August 2009.

That day, during the second half of the First Division duel between Maccabi Tel Aviv FC and Bnei Sakhnin FC, referee Assaf Kenan validated a goal from home side Maccabi, scored by the Armenian Ilya Yavruyan, the third for him that day, sealing a 3 to 1 victory. However, seconds later and at the request of one of his assistant referees, Kenan called a foul by a Maccabi player in the play prior to the goal. But, following the host players’ vehement protests, including insults, the referee changed his decision again, validated Yavruyan’s goal, and ordered the match to be resumed from the center spot.

The new call then ignited the Sakhnin players, who pounced on the referee, who complained, severely and amid threats to withdraw from the field, and demanded the ref remain firm in voiding the goal. The soft Kenan yielded once again to the claims and arranged for the match to continue 2-1 before the bewildered 8,000 spectators who had gathered at Bloomfield Stadium. The scoreboard, though, ended with an unquestionable 3-1 after Sherran Yeini from the host team clinched the match one minute from the end. Was anyone expelled from the field? Kenan has not yet decided…