World Cup referees defended themselves Tuesday in the wake of officiating blunders that led FIFA President Sepp Blatter to apologise to England and Mexico and reconsider video goal reviews.
Referees Jorge Larrionda of Uruguay and Roberto Rosetti of Italy, at the center of the controversial decisions, did not attend an open training session with reporters at a local high school, leaving others to address the issues.
England’s Frank Lampard had what would have been an equaliser disallowed by the Larrionda crew in a 4-1 loss Sunday to Germany although the ball was clearly beyond the line in television replays.
“I share the disappointment with the match officials if it was seen as an error, and that was my over-riding feeling on that incident,” English referee Howard Webb said.
And Argentina striker Carlos Tevez was clearly offside when he scored the first goal in a 3-1 Sunday victory over Mexico. A replay shown in the stadium video screen was not enough to allow Rosetti to make the call.
“We know when we go into this business there are going to be controversial decisions,” Canadian assistant referee Hector Vergara said.
“In all of our games, 97 percent of our calls are right. The players aren’t perfect 100 percent of the time. Why should the referees be?”
FIFA referees spokesman Jose Maria Garcia Aranda called World Cup officials “excellent” despite the glaring howlers and Blatter’s apology and decision to reconsider video goal judging.
“We have to look at 54 matches and the decisions the referees have made in them,” Garcia Aranda said. “Apparently the referees took only four or five decisions in these 54 matches and all of them were controversial.
“Nobody is talking about the successful decisions. In order to assess the referees properly, you must assess the good decisions and wrong decisions. These referees have made excellent decisions.”
Uzbekhistan referee Rashan Irmatov, who made his World Cup debut in the South Africa-Mexico opener, was confident referees could handle video review.
“If FIFA takes this kind of decision, we will be ready,” he said. “But it’s not my job to make that decision. I’m here to referee the matches.”
Vergara said he doubted video replay would change things much for referees.
“The job has always been difficult. That isn’t going to change,” Vergara said. “If it comes in, we’ll deal with it. If it doesn’t, we’ll deal with it.”
Webb was ready for anything that would boost the credibility of referees.
“I’m open minded about anything that makes us more credible as match officials but it’s a decision for other people to take,” Webb said.
Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez defended humans over technology when it comes to officiating but said officials would work with video replays if FIFA commands.
“The referees have been very professional,” Rodriguez said. “In this training, you learn how to handle matches in a professional manner. We work together as a team. We’re not perfect. That’s reality. But we do our best.”
When it came to the blunders that hurt England and Mexico, Irmatov said there has been little talk among officials.
“We don’t speak about this situation,” he said. “You see how hard we work. We work really, really hard not to make a mistake.”
Rwandan linesman Celestin Ntagungira said it was important for officials to stand by their choices.
“You can’t change your decision,” he said. “When the goal is scored and you say it’s a goal, you have already validated the goal. How can you say it’s not a goal?”
The priority of following the offside line makes goal judgements tougher.
“In your decisions and position, the offside line is the priority, absolutely,” Hungarian linesman Tibor Vamos said.
drew777
Roar Pro
"The players aren’t perfect 100 percent of the time. Why should the referees be?" Because although players may not be perfect, they don't hold the power to decide a game with as much ease as a referee does. If a referee stuffs up a game can easily be lost. If a player stuffs up it does not always mean that his stuff up loses the game for his team mates. Referees need to swallow some humble pie and accept that they need extra help; it's not like they will lose their jobs just because a video ref is added.
Paul Ellercamp
Guest
No doubt I'm arriving with the late news, but there are two things that spoil the beauty of the beautiful game - prima donnas and dodgy refereeing. How to deal with the first: I heard a suggestion today that one role of video review could be the retrospective application of cards to the drama queens, which could be complemented by a demerit system for refs who routinely let them go. Too many misses and they lose their grading. No more World Cup, and lesser chance for the next one. And that brings us to point 2: FIFA really must get serious about appointing only the best refs to top matches, such as those in the WC. It's nice to give all these two-bit Johnnies a turn, but it shouldn't be at the expense of entire nations, as it is right now. I don't know enough about FIFA's grading system to opine, although I will anyway. And like most if us, I take notice of soccer only at WC or European Cup time. That said, each nation's top refs should prove themselves in international friendlies and WC qualifiers, under a reviewing system, and maintain their grading, before they get a crack at the WC itself. And only those who are proven at the group stage of a WC should progress beyond to the final rounds. It's ok for Sepp to say that video review would spoil the game, but there is too much riding on this, too much national investment, to risk it with some of he incompetent tosh we've seen, and as we see each time. Perhaps FIFA simply is holding out for a big enough offer before agreeing to this. Sport already is compromised, corrupted by money. Most of them are modernising their processes as a result. FIFA should be no different.
DaMan3000
Guest
“In all of our games, 97 percent of our calls are right. The players aren’t perfect 100 percent of the time. Why should the referees be?” When 100% of the 3% are at the goal mouth, then there is a BIG problem. What a soft response from the ref's.