Citiref
14 Oct 2005, 11:40 PM
Austrians set to complain to Fifa
Austria's football association is to complain to FIFA after claiming its players were "endangered" in the World Cup qualifier with Northern Ireland.
Association president Friedrich Stickler said referee Athanassios Briakos "acted carelessly" by failing to punish N Ireland's physical play.
Stickler described N Ireland's approach on Wednesday night as "simply unfair".
N Ireland's Damien Johnson and Austrian Emanuel Pogatetz were sent-off in the Vienna game, which Austria won 2-0.
"I cannot say everything that comes to my mind about the referee, because a lot would be below the belt," Stickler added.
"All I can say is that I have never seen such bad refereeing before. We were lucky that not more of our players were badly injured."
Stickler wants football's governing body to suspend the Greek official.
Pogatetz was on the receiving end of a reckless challenge from Johnson and retaliated by violently grabbing the midfielder.
Referee Briakos red-carded both players, although Pogatetz had to be carried off with a bleeding left shin.
"That was simply scandalous. Pogatetz was about the fourth or fifth player on our team who was badly fouled," Stickler said.
"It is not excusable that he attacked his opponent, but understandable.
"His red card was justified, but several players of the visitors should have seen it previously.
"Their game had nothing to do with fairness or the famous British physical game. It was simply unfair."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/4339138.stm
Austria's football association is to complain to FIFA after claiming its players were "endangered" in the World Cup qualifier with Northern Ireland.
Association president Friedrich Stickler said referee Athanassios Briakos "acted carelessly" by failing to punish N Ireland's physical play.
Stickler described N Ireland's approach on Wednesday night as "simply unfair".
N Ireland's Damien Johnson and Austrian Emanuel Pogatetz were sent-off in the Vienna game, which Austria won 2-0.
"I cannot say everything that comes to my mind about the referee, because a lot would be below the belt," Stickler added.
"All I can say is that I have never seen such bad refereeing before. We were lucky that not more of our players were badly injured."
Stickler wants football's governing body to suspend the Greek official.
Pogatetz was on the receiving end of a reckless challenge from Johnson and retaliated by violently grabbing the midfielder.
Referee Briakos red-carded both players, although Pogatetz had to be carried off with a bleeding left shin.
"That was simply scandalous. Pogatetz was about the fourth or fifth player on our team who was badly fouled," Stickler said.
"It is not excusable that he attacked his opponent, but understandable.
"His red card was justified, but several players of the visitors should have seen it previously.
"Their game had nothing to do with fairness or the famous British physical game. It was simply unfair."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/4339138.stm