Question about Vieri's alleged comments...does the ref have any role?

[superdave]

There's an accusation out there that Christian Vieri made a racial comment toward a Newcastle player in yesterday's CL game.

Self explanatory, I guess...what is the referee's role?

[kevbrunton]

If the referee heard it and knew who it was directed at, Vieri could/should have been sent off for Offensive, Insulting or Abusive language.

[IASocFan]

First of all, one of the four officials needed to hear it before they could act on it. I suspect Vieri didn't make the comments loud enough for anyone other than the intended audience.

If one of them heard the comment, then Kevin has pretty well described the appropriate action.

[IASocFan]

Originally posted by kevbrunton
If the referee heard it, Vieri could/should have been sent off for Offensive, Insulting or Abusive language.

I changed the above post. Who the offensive, insulting or abusive language was directed at is immaterial, as long as you know who was responsible for it.

[kevbrunton]

Originally posted by IASocFan
I changed the above post. Who the offensive, insulting or abusive language was directed at is immaterial, as long as you know who was responsible for it.
The only reason that I made the comment about who it was intended to had to do with the fact that comment was supposedly RACIST.

A comment from one white person to another white person may be considered mild trash talking worthy of nothing or at most a caution for USB. But make the same comment to a black person or some other ethnicity and it's OIA.

[Poose]

Is there ever an incident where the "N" work is overlooked?

I was the AR on a high school game when a black defender for team A said to a black team mate, "what the f*** were you thinkin', n*****??"

Before I could decide wheher or not to flag the CR, the CR came over and gave a verbal warning. No card.

How would you have handled it?

BTW, I am a forty-something white guy.

[Alberto]

Originally posted by Poose
Is there ever an incident where the "N" work is overlooked?

I was the AR on a high school game when a black defender for team A said to a black team mate, "what the f*** were you thinkin', n*****??"

Before I could decide whether or not to flag the CR, the CR came over and gave a verbal warning. No card.

How would you have handled it?

BTW, I am a forty-something white guy.

I heard it used between African Americans. A friend of mine in college use to call his friend that when they were joking around. It's different if the people are of the same race and clearly it is inappropriate for a Caucasian to use it.

The referee exercised good judgement in warning the players not to use it.

[IASocFan]

If it was loud enough for the CR and AR to hear, was it loud enough for the benches and fans to hear it? If it was, then the offensive and foul (a priority in Iowa High School) language quidelines should require a caution. Particularly since sportsmanship is a required part of the pregame to players.

[kevbrunton]

I agree with IASoc that it should have warrented a caution.

But I can tell you that I have heard GOOD friends talk to one another this way -- one black, one white. Even white on white, kids tend to talk very disrespectfully to each other a lot -- at least we, the adults, see it that way. To them it's just part of their "smack".

[IASocFan]

Originally posted by kevbrunton
I agree with IASoc that it should have warrented a caution.

But I can tell you that I have heard GOOD friends talk to one another this way -- one black, one white. Even white on white, kids tend to talk very disrespectfully to each other a lot -- at least we, the adults, see it that way. To them it's just part of their "smack".

I was concerned about a loud f-bomb as well as the n word. I'm usually pretty tolerant, but I know the ADs and most parents don't want to hear either.