Thursday 22 July 2010

Player in Chile Gets 27-Match Ban for Strangling Referee

The following incidents occurred during a Chile Primera B league match between Deportes Concepcion and Rangers on Saturday 17 July 2010. The match finished 3—0.

Earlier in the match, referee Mercelo Miranda awarded a penalty to Deportes Concepcion (blue). It was duly taken and scored, but the referee spotted encroachment by the same attacking team and ordered a re-take. This time the penalty was saved, but the AR flagged that the GK had moved off his line, so the referee ordered another re-take. The third penalty was again saved, but the AR had spotted that the GK was again off his line, so the referee ordered another re-take. There was lots of dissent from Rangers (white) the defending team and subsequently the referee cautioned white #6. At the fourth time of asking, the penalty kick was deemed legitimate and Deportes Concepcion scored. Following this incident (see video clips below), the Rangers players’ attitude towards the referee changed.

Video Clips of the Penalty Kicks and Other Match Highlights




Later in the match, Rangers defender #4 (José Pedrozo from Paraguay) fouls an opponent near the touchline and then runs off. The referee whistles for the foul and then approaches Pedrozo. His teammate (white #13), knowing that the referee was taking out a card (for serious foul play), tries to intervene only to be pushed aside by white #4. Pedrozo then proceeds to take out his anger on the referee. Here are three freeze frames.

[Pedrozo (white #4) pushes aside his teammate and proceeds to strangle and choke the referee.]


Click on this Video Clip to see the incident from various camera angles.


The Disciplinary Committee of the Chile National Association of Professional Football promptly banned José Pedrozo for 27 matches.
NOTE: It is interesting to compare sanctions of similar incidents from different countries. For example, a player in China received a life ban after chasing and pushing over a referee in 2009.

Pedrozo was quoted:
“I'm not sorry. I was being persecuted by the referee, because it's the third time he has sent me off - I think I made a grave error but what's done is done.”


Pedrozo has now left Rangers, but apparently the Chile National Association of Professional Football said the sanction would apply to Pedrozo at any club in Chile and elsewhere.


Related Posts

Life Ban for Chinese Player Who Attacked Referee

Europa League Penalty Kicks and Encroachment

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