What's the deal ref?

Another week gone by, along with a smörgåsbord of incorrect decisions from referees who are blind (or maybe its their opticians?). One could blame it over and over again on human error, but when does human error start bordering on suspicion? And when does suspicion start toeing the line of certain match-fixing? And since when did referees become dumb enough to go head and shoulders beyond the aforementioned line?

The incident I’m referring to might be obvious to you, yet it is incorrect . No, I am not a frustrated Liverpool fan ranting my head off, telling everyone about how the referees seemed to favor Manchester United last night (although I do agree), and ending up giving everyone a revision for their history half yearlies. This article is a result of absolutely disgusting on-field decisions both benefiting and injurious to my team and its rivals in different games and tournaments, and absolutely impeccable timing on my part too!

Debatable decisions…They are everywhere. Right from the high profile courtrooms to the sibling rivalries in bedrooms. When do they become problematic? Yes, they are slightly problematic when a man is unfairly jailed while criminals roam free, they are worse, far worse, when they take place in front of one billion pairs of eyes. Right up there on the LCD screens (CRT if you are outdated), when a striker nails in a goal beautifully, and the referee simply disallows it! I could advocate goal line technology too in this situation, but in a football game, no matter how much proof you might have against a referee’s decisions, it is, at the end of the day, his call. He may send the striker off for arguing, or weaken the other team’s defense by doing the same to a defender. In the modern scenario, nothing could be greater than money, and not only is it so for the greedy and unfaithful footballers, but it also seems to have affected the supposedly neutral referee.

The Calciopoli scandal of 2006 just lives on to prove my claims. It wouldn’t be unheard of and alien for a team now to appoint favorable referees in a match. In fact, I would say that the chances are higher. The police might be smarter, but the criminals in this case seem to be one step ahead, as the number of debatable decisions have only been going up since the inception of football, with Manchester United and Barcelona championing this cause. Howard Webb has become a victim of online memes, and very rightly so if you are to ask for my opinion, and if you beg to differ, please go watch the Manchester United – Chelsea match (the one that ended in a 3-3 stalemate, not like it should have), and tell me if you still do. And if you are one of the furious Catalans ready to swear the stuffing out of me in all caps, please go through this video. Barcelona and Manchester United have habitually been observed being favoured by the referees, although with modern day’s shady business, I doubt it is ever going to be proven. And with the unhelpful attitude of supporters who although extremely faithful, cannot remain unbiased, it becomes impossible for someone to make a point of the similar kind. I’ll admit, Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany at the World Cups and Andy Carroll’s in the FA Cup finals should have been awarded. Sadly, it will have no effect whatsoever, as they have been done and dusted with.

As a stickler for fairness in a game, it truly does disgust me looking at this side of football. I’m not condemning football , for it is better of than certain other sports (although it would rank in the lower half when it comes to fairness). What I truly am against is the problem at the very grassroots. Instead of accepting moral responsibilities and duties, referees and officials accept monetary benefits. Instead of condemning an absolutely horrible decision, the fans continue to support their teams. The corruption exists at the very beginning of human foundation, and is becoming absolutely impossible to deal with. What we need right now, perhaps, is an Anna Hazare in football (this is obviously a lighter take). I should probably change the heading to “Where’s the deal ref?”, because they seem to be a plenty, everywhere! You will just have to agree with Drogba on this topic, “It’s a disgrace out there, it’s a f*cking disgrace!”