Under-fire former referee Mark Halsey has revealed the incident which he claims he was pressurised to say he hadn’t seen by league bosses, reports the Mirror.
The 55-year-old former Premier League official sparked a huge controversy yesterday by alleging on social media that he’d been influenced to alter post-match reports.
And in the Sun on Sunday , he specified the incident in question as the 2011 clash between Stoke and Blackburn, when he was told to say he hadn’t witnessed Steven N’Zonzi’s elbow on Ryan Shawcross.
“I saw the incident between Steven Nzonzi and Ryan Shawcross and was happy it was not a red card,” Halsey said.
“Then, when the assessor came in, he said there was no problem and that I’d refereed very well.
“On the Monday we had our get-together with referees at Warwick University and I was told, ‘Look at this’ and I was still happy with the decision.
“I was told to expect a call from the FA compliance department, which I duly got.
The moment where N’Zonzi struck Shawcross which Halsey saw but thought was not a red – only to be overruled
“When I got the call I said I was still happy — but they said my bosses weren’t happy. I was under pressure to say I hadn’t seen it.
“I was furious but no matter what industry you are in, you do what your bosses say.
“So he was charged and got three matches.”
Halsey speaks with Blackburn’s Steven N’Zonzi
Halsey said: “I know it goes on because other referees have told me.
“Nothing can happen because nobody can say anything publicly as a referee.
“But I suspect it does go on. There are outside influences on different situations.”
The organising body for elite referees in England, the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), has denied outright that it has every pressured officials into saying they hadn’t seen match incidents, despite Halsey naming them specifically on Friday night as the responsible party.
They told MirrorFootball in a statement:
“Match officials submit their reports, including critical incidents, directly to the FA. Match officials ensure that their reports are a full and accurate description of the incident. There is no pressure from the PGMO to include or omit anything.”
The PGMOL was formed in 2001 to improve refereeing standards and provides officials for across the Premier League, Football League and FA competitions, receiving funding from all three bodies.
Halsey’s alarming claims, which may have helped sway the results of retrospective appeals, should cause concern throughout football.
COMMENTS