What shall we do with a drunk referee?

[USSF REF]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/07/09/bc.eu.spt.soc.drunkrefe.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

This gives new meaning to center circle referee... :D

[intechpc]

Hmm, wonder if that would be enough cause for a protest and a re-match. I have to imagine he won't be wearing a badge much longer.

[ManiacalClown]

Shave his balls with a rusty razor, early in the morning!

[DerbyRam54]

Well, if the referee can be considered to be part of the field of play, then I suppose you would consider this referee to be a somewhat waterlogged field. Except it wasn't water.
The women's team I coach once had a referee on a cold day at the end of the season. At half time, he disappeared up over the low bank that runs along one side of the field. I thought he'd gone to relieve himself, although that was odd since we have a fairly clean portapotty at the field.
After the match, the players remarked as to how his breath had smelled of alcohol and his eyes were a bit glassy. It hadn't seemed to affect his decision-making, though I am not sure he'd had many decisions to make. He left without collecting his fee as well.

[Ref Flunkie]

Alcohol would probably improve my refereeing!

[nsa]

Naive referee that I was, I showed up to work the local adult OTH Fall finals a number of years ago. 0730 and the bottles were being passed around; pick your ethnic group, samboucka or aguadiente. :D

Hey, it was cold! ;)

(Not saying I joined the gentlemen.)


I do get some raised eyebrows when folks see the "loose stuff" bag in my kit: a Crown Royal whiskey bag. (For medicinal purposes only. :eek: )




Flip side: post game. I'm sure I've PO'd many a bartender for downing two or three glasses of water before ordering a beer.

[DerbyRam54]

The referee leaving the field in this video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oeSxVujpRRU

No doubt this will lead to an examination of the laws of the game and a possible call for changes from some people. Should there be drug and alcohol tests? Well, personally speaking, I've never done drugs, but I certainly think the alcohol should be tested before drinking it.

[intechpc]

Good lord, that's even worse than I had imagined it. Even his own collegue seemed pretty well disgusted with him and didn't appear to want any association with him.

[MassachusettsRef]

I'm not sure, because the badge is hard to make out, but he appears to be a FIFA referee...

FIFA website lists a "Siarhei Shmolik" as a panel member since 1993: http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/association=blr/peoplekind=ref.html

Article says the official's name is "Sergei Shmolik."

Any resident Russians/Belorussians that can tell us whether or "Siarhei" is either a typo or a nickname for "Sergei." Because if either is true, this is essentially equivalent to Kevin Stott doing this in an MLS match.

[PVancouver]

Ref had wet his whistle (http://www.russiatoday.ru/sports/news/27273)

[DerbyRam54]

I'm not sure, because the badge is hard to make out, but he appears to be a FIFA referee...

FIFA website lists a "Siarhei Shmolik" as a panel member since 1993: http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/association=blr/peoplekind=ref.html

Article says the official's name is "Sergei Shmolik."

Any resident Russians/Belorussians that can tell us whether or "Siarhei" is either a typo or a nickname for "Sergei." Because if either is true, this is essentially equivalent to Kevin Stott doing this in an MLS match.

A quick bit of googling reveals that siarhei and sergei are one and the same, either regional variants or alternative ways of transcribing the name into English.

[Spaceball]

Because if either is true, this is essentially equivalent to Kevin Stott doing this in an MLS match.

Not even close. Kevin Stott would NEVER be caught in short sleeves.

[Ref Flunkie]

Not even close. Kevin Stott would NEVER be caught in short sleeves.

Seriously....that is slander vs. Kevin Stott if I have every seen it! :)

[Another NH Ref]

Another of the YouTube postings of the event gives a clearer view of some of the players. They're definitely kids. That doesn't excuse his actions but it isn't equivalent to an MLS match. Maybe in the emotional age of the players but certainly not their physical age...

[MassachusettsRef]

Another of the YouTube postings of the event gives a clearer view of some of the players. They're definitely kids. That doesn't excuse his actions but it isn't equivalent to an MLS match. Maybe in the emotional age of the players but certainly not their physical age...I suspect that those kids are just ballboys or an attached youth club that are on the field kicking around because full-time has been called. Look (and listen) to the crowd and examine the bench facilities (where there is police/stadium security). That's not a youth match. Also, the original CNNSI article calls it a "Belarus league match."


EDIT: PVancouver's link says it was "a Belarusian Premier League tie between FC Naftan and FC Vitebsk."

[MountainHawk]

I'm not sure, because the badge is hard to make out, but he appears to be a FIFA referee...

FIFA website lists a "Siarhei Shmolik" as a panel member since 1993: http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/refereeing/association=blr/peoplekind=ref.html

Article says the official's name is "Sergei Shmolik."

Any resident Russians/Belorussians that can tell us whether or "Siarhei" is either a typo or a nickname for "Sergei." Because if either is true, this is essentially equivalent to Kevin Stott doing this in an MLS match.
Siarhei is the Belarussian spelling; Sergei is the Russian spelling.

[PVancouver]

Belarus Football Federation suspend drunken referee (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/10/ufnref110.xml)

The referee was hardly moving by the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, as he officiated the game from the centre circle, refusing to go to his pocket for any cards throughout.

Russian television footage shows Shmolik, only last year voted the best referee in Belarus, waving to the crowd as he staggers off the pitch, attempting to brush off an official's attempts to prop him up.

[gosellit]

OK, lets have some fun.

I am almost 100% sure no one on this board has refereed drunk. I said almost.

Now, truth or dare. Who here has refereed with a hangover? Stories?

[jester007]

OK, lets have some fun.

I am almost 100% sure no one on this board has refereed drunk. I said almost.

Now, truth or dare. Who here has refereed with a hangover? Stories?

Might be easier to ask who hasnt refed with a hangover.

[MetroFever]

Interesting that only one of his AR's comes up to him (briefly) and quickly walks off.

At about 12 seconds in, it appears he's about to caution the guy who is trying to help him off. Would love to see video of the entire second half.