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Double standards in A-League refereeing

Roar Rookie
1st April, 2014
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Besart Berisha traded Brisbane orange for Victory navy - and the Roar didn't get a cent. (APP Image/Dave Hunt)
Roar Rookie
1st April, 2014
63
1085 Reads

Many people have been saying that Besart Berisha’s challenge on Tando Velaphi on Friday night deserved a red card.

There have been mutterings that players that endanger opponents to serious injury should be sent off, and that going in studs up is an automatic red.

Yet why was Berisha sent off for his challenge against Sebastian Ryall two weeks ago? Both players were in the wrong in that match between Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC.

I wrote about this incident previously on the Roar.

Let me just say that as a goalkeeper of many years, my natural sympathy is with the keeper. I suffered concussion a week ago at indoor football from a screamer that was bolted directly at my head from a few metres away.

Let me also say that player safety should be paramount, and there should be no place in the game for a dangerous, injury-producing style of play. But I don’t believe that’s what happened during Brisbane match against Melbourne Heart.

As an ex-referee, I tend to give the referee the benefit of the doubt and try to explain how the referee’s decisions are usually correct. Yet for the second time in two weeks, I find myself disagreeing with the referee about a red card decision. Both concern Berisha.

There are a few refereeing principles relevant to decision-making here. They may or may not have been followed correctly in this case. I’ll leave it for you to decide.

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Firstly, referees should not make a decision about cards based on the injuries of the players involved. Looking at the replay in the Berisha/Velaphi case, Chris Beath looks down twice at the injured player (Velaphi) before reaching for the red.

Now, it may be that the referee was just exercising his duty of care for the player, but my gut feeling is that Beath chose to pull out the red after looking at how injured Velaphi was. This is not appropriate decision making.

Secondly, referees should not send players off when they are not in a good position to see the incident properly. Beath seemed too far away from the incident, and at an odd angle, to have a good view of it.

Thirdly, referees cannot make decisions based on the player involved. Referees should only make decisions based on the challenge involved, or if it involves persistent infringement of the laws of the game. To bring in a player’s prior reputation is not appropriate decision making.

There seems to be a few inconsistencies in the decision-making process that fans have used to condemn Berisha in both incidents.

In the incident between Berisha and Ryall, Berisha cops a knee to the head after the challenge. I came across some ill-informed comments after the match that Berisha should have got up, manned up, and stopped cheating.

As if you’re concerned about putting on a show and looking good for the cameras when you’ve just been kneed in the head!

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Yet after Velaphi caught a boot to the neck from Berisha’s challenge on Friday night, I suspect there will be no such comments about getting up and manning up.

Velaphi seemed dreadfully injured until the red card came out for Berisha, and then he seemed fine. For me, that shows that people are judging based on the personalities involved, not on the challenges or behaviour involved.

If you watch closely you’ll notice Velaphi hesitates before the challenge. If he doesn’t make this mistake he probably would have got there first and taken out Berisha.

Much was made of Ryall being marginally first to the ball in his challenge with Berisha. The fact his studs were out was ignored. Berisha did not go into the challenge with two feet raised, despite media reports.

Both players are going for the ball. Both jumped towards the ball. Yet this was apparently Berisha’s fault?

Yet in the Berisha/Velaphi incident, the fact that Berisha got there first seems to be minimised in light of the outcome – Berisha’s boot connecting with Velaphi’s neck.

I find it difficult to argue that Berisha acted in disregard to the welfare of his opponent. The most he should have received was a yellow card.

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There is no case to be made that Berisha used excessive force in the challenge. There is a case that he’s a little careless, maybe even reckless. A free kick? Sure. Maybe a yellow card for dangerous play? Perhaps. But not a red!

Please tell me what a striker is meant to do in that circumstance, if not kick for goal?

A ridiculous double standard seems to have been applied here!

It’s said of Berisha that he’s too aggressive. No, wait, he’s too soft.

When he’s writhing around on the ground it’s obvious that he’s a simulating cheat. When it’s his opponent writhing around on the ground, he’s obviously a violent cheat. Either way, it’s all his fault.

These double standards applied to Berisha really seem unfair, as does the double suspension. I feel he has been hard done by.

Please note: Da’ is not Besart Berisha in disguise; nor has he met the guy; nor is Berisha’s bountiful ebullience usually the writer’s cup of tea.

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