REFEREES bosses have broken their silence after Mike Dean admitted he made a “pathetic” mistake while on VAR duties last season.
The former ref revealed that he did not correct an on-pitch decision during the heated clash between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
Dean did not get Anthony Taylor to review an incident between Cristian Romero and Marc Cucurella.
Romero was spotted pulling the Blues ace’s long-hair during a corner which should have led to a penalty.
However, Dean did not want to cause Taylor any more “grief” and did not call him to review the moment on the monitor.
The game would then end in a draw thanks to Harry Kane netting a goal moments after the incident.
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And now PGMOL – the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd – have issued a statement on Dean’s comments insisting that “strongly refute” Dean’s claim that VARs do not intervene.
A PGMOL spokesperson said: “VARs undergo extensive training with the focus centered entirely around effectively working with the on-field team of officials to rectify clear and obvious errors.
“When VARs identify a clear and obvious error by the on-field team and match officials, they should intervene and recommend a review by the referee.
“We strongly refute any suggestions that VARs do not intervene, for whatever reason, when they have identified a clear and obvious error.”
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Dean has been a referee in the Premier League for more than two decades before switching to be a VAR full-time.
He admitted that the incident between Romero and Cucurella should have been reviewed.
During his revelation, he called the hair pull by Romero “pathetic” and admitted that if he could relive the moment he would have sent Taylor to the monitor.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
