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      Asian Cup ace escapes red card for horror flying kick as fans say WWE star ‘would be proud’

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      LEBANON star Khalil Khamis escaped a red card after a horror FLYING KICK on China’s Dai Wai Tsun in the Asian Cup.Fans went crazy as the shocking head-high challenge wasn’t even given as a foul by the referee.
      Khalil Khamis brutally kicked China midfielder Dai Wai Tsun in the faceCredit: reddit
      And fans have been left outraged with the WWE style kickCredit: reddit
      The challenge was not deemed a red card offence and wasn’t even given as a foulCredit: AFP
      The 23rd minute incident saw Khamis, 29, attempt to clear his lines with his foot during their goalless draw in Group A.
      But after he smashes the ball away, he follows through with a stud led kick to Tsun’s face.
      As the midfielder goes down in agony clutching his face, Khamis protests his innocence as China’s players call for a card.
      But referee Hyung-Jin Ko blows his whistle to signal there was an offside in the build up to the Lebanese defender’s clearance.
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      Despite VAR reportedly having a look at the incident, no foul was given and no card was awarded.
      Fans were both confused and outraged over the decision, with one writing on Reddit: ” This is an MMA kick to the face.”
      A second joked: “WWE star Sheamus would be proud.”
      A third wrote: “He took the ball…and the eye of the opposing player.”
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      The opposite occurred yesterday when South Korea beat Bahrain 3-1 in their Group E opener.
      Five South Korean players and two Bahraini players received yellow cards from referee Ma Ning, and manager Jurgen Klinsmann blamed the officials for making it “a tricky game.”
      Bayern defender Kim Min-jae was booked early on, and Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, was called for diving in the Bahrain box in the final minutes.
      Son saw a yellow for simulationCredit: Getty More

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      Audio of Martin Odegaard’s handball against Liverpool is released as Howard Webb reveals referee got decision WRONG

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      HOWARD WEBB has revealed Liverpool SHOULD have been awarded a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal last month.The former Premier League referee gave his thought on the incident after releasing the VAR audio in the latest instalment of Match Officials Mic’d Up.
      VAR audio from Martin Odegaard’s handball against Liverpool has been releasedCredit: Premier League
      PGMOL chief Howard Webb talks through VAR’s decision to not award Liverpool a penalty for a possible handball against Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard 👇 pic.twitter.com/xAOm6o4xLM— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 16, 2024

      Liverpool were denied a penalty by referee Chris Kavanagh during the match at Anfield on December 23.
      Mohamed Salah had attempted to flick the ball round Martin Odegaard when the ball hit the Arsenal captain’s arm.
      However, a VAR review into the incident confirmed Kavanagh’s on-field decision.
      The audio from the decision shows Kavanagh saying: “No, his hand’s on the floor. His hand’s on the floor,” as the Liverpool players appealed for penalty.
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      Assistant VAR Lee Betts can then be heard during the review saying: “Yeah, from the brief look I’ve seen, yeah, agreed, yeah, yeah.”
      VAR David Coote then confirms the decision, explaining: “For me, Lee, I’m back with live. So, he’s falling down, he’s moving his arms in towards him, so it’s check complete for me.”
      Webb and former Liverpool striker Michael Owen disagreed with that analysis on Match Officials Mic’d Up, though.
      Ex-Red Owen admitted: “I thought it was a penalty,” before Webb explained his views on the decision.
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      “So do I,” the PGMOL chief responded. “The referee on the field recognised that Odegaard had slipped and saw his arm go towards the ground. 
      “We talk about ‘supporting arms’. If somebody falls, breaks their fall with the arm, it’s all very natural and a pretty well-established concept. In this situation. though, there’s an important difference to a normal play that’s falling.
      “This is not just Odegaard accidentally falling on to the ball. He does slip, his arm does go out, but he actually pulls his arm back in towards his body, which is when the ball makes contact with the arm.
      “The VAR looked at that aspect. He felt it was a case of Odegaard trying to make himself actually smaller by bringing the arm back towards the body. That is the element that’s important here.
      “Whether it’s instinctive or deliberate, he gets a huge advantage by bringing the arm back towards the ball. All the feedback we got afterwards was very clear. The game expects a penalty in this situation. I would agree.”
      Webb argued that the red card for Fulham’s Raul Jimenez at Newcastle and penalty awarded – also on review – for Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski’s “sustained” tug on Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, were correct interventions.
      Howard Webb revealed referee Chris Kavanagh should have given a penaltyCredit: Premier League
      He also backed Manchester City’s crucial penalty in the win at Everton, where the Toffees argued Amadou Onana was too close to the Nathan Ake shot to be penalised.
      But more surprisingly perhaps, the former World Cup final whistler said VAR Michael Salisbury was justified in allowing Luton’s last-gasp leveller at Turf Moor to stand.
      Burnley were furious, convinced that Elijah Adebayo had fouled keeper James Trafford before Carlton Morris headed home.
      But ref Tony Harrington’s initial view that Trafford has instigated the contact was eventually backed by Salisbury’s belief it was “not a clear and obvious error”.
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      Webb said: “I can understand why Burnley would expect a free-kick but I’ve spoken to a whole host of people who don’t see it that way.
      “VAR was brought in to rectify very clear situations. This was a grey one, not black and white. It split opinions so the VAR came out in the right place.” More

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      Ex-referee wants controversial rule scrapped before more Premier League players get hurt

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      MARK HALSEY has called for the delayed offside flag to be scrapped to avoid more serious injuries.Ederson limped off with a leg injury after the Manchester City keeper collided with Sean Longstaff as the Brazilian tried to prevent the Newcastle midfielder from converting Alexander Isak’s cross.
      Mark Halsey has urged the Premier League to scrap delayed offside flagsCredit: PA
      Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson was injured before an offside flag went upCredit: Rex
      The goal was ruled out by VAR due to an earlier offside in the build-up at St James’ Park on Saturday.
      It is the second time City boss Pep Guardiola has lost a star due to injury in a similar situation after John Stones was forced off at his former club Everton last month.
      SunSport’s referee expert Halsey says the use of the offside flag needs to be looked at with an urgent review of the VAR protocol to protect players.
      The former Prem ref said: “The safety of players is paramount to the game.
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      “This directive about holding the flag needs reassessing because too many players are getting injured. I would change it.
      “It’s happened twice for City, firstly with John Stones and now with Ederson.
      “Football is an entertainment  business and fans want to see the best players on the pitch. Some of the best players are missing matches for injuries that are needless and avoidable.”
      Assistant referees have been told to keep their flag down — even if they think there is an offside — until the passage of play is complete.
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      Only once a goal is scored or the chance has gone will the assistant then  raise their flag to confirm the initial offence.
      That is so if a goal is scored then VAR can review the offside call.
      But Halsey, who started his career as an assistant referee, believes more responsibility needs to be given to officials on the field.
      He explained: “I’m all for letting the game flow — but officials need to show common sense.
      “If it’s a clear offside and the player is 40 yards from goal then the assistant referee should just automatically flag if they believe the player is offside.
      Ederson collided with Sean Longstaff as he tried to prevent a disallowed goalCredit: Rex
      “If the ball is in or around the penalty box then you don’t flag because you won’t get a serious injury with players bearing down on goal. There’s no risk for the keeper or defenders chasing back in that situation.
      “I understand why the protocol was introduced because everyone in football doesn’t want goals to be ruled out for tight offsides.
      “But these situations are not about a toenail being offside, they are yards offside. Assistant refs just need to award the offside.
      “It’s about understanding football and I can understand managers’ frustrations for this needless holding of the flag when there’s a clear offside so far up the pitch.” More

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      He’s putting on a Scottish accent, fans cry as ex-Prem referee Mark Clattenburg stars in Gladiators reboot

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      FANS have accused former Prem League referee Mark Clattenburg of putting on a Scottish accent as he took to the Gladiators ring. The popular BBC show returned to TV screens for the first time in more than two decades with a brand new squad.
      Fans were left stunned to see the new line-up of refereesCredit: BBC
      Former referee Mark Clattenburg took on the stage for the first episodeCredit: BBC
      The classic show was back on BBC One on January 13 with a stellar line-up of athletes and sports stars.
      Bradley Walsh and his son Barney are the new hosts.
      The series originally aired on ITV from 1992 to 2000, and was presented by Ulrika Johnsson.
      But this new reboot left fans stunned after former referee Mark Clattenburg took on the stage for the first episode.

      The former Premier League, 48, refereed the Champion’s League cup final and Euro 2016 final.
      But on tonight’s episode Clattenburg shocked the nation after stepping in to take over from the famous Scottish voice of John Anderson.
      During the one-hour episode, Clattenburg said the show’s famous line: “Contestants, ready? Gladiators, ready?”
      After the show, fans rushed to social media to comment on the former football referee seen blowing the iconic whistle.
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      One user said: “Mark Clattenburg is definitely putting on a Scottish accent.”
      Some questioned if the former professional referee – who comes from the North East – was in fact Scottish.
      Another added: “I see former football ref Mark Clattenburg is attempting a Scottish accent to sound like John Anderson.”
      Others were so shocked to see the former referee they slammed he was after “some cash”.
      One wrote: “Mark Clattenburg must be desperate for some cash to go on Gladiators.”
      Another said: “Mark Clattenburg refereeing on Gladiators I don’t know why I’m shocked he always loved the camera.”
      A third said: “I hope there is no VAR too! I never imagined I’d be seeing Mark Clattenburg refereeing.”
      However, some fans were less impressed, with one writing: “Mark Clattenburg is the ‘Gladiator’s ready’ referee on the new series of Gladiators. Another reason not to watch it.”
      Before the long-waited episode, Clattenburg said that landing the Gladiators gig was “one of the most amazing things I will do in my life”.
      He also praised the show’s original referee John Anderson as “legendary” and said taking over the whistle “is such an honour”.
      It comes as a Gladiators contestant was rushed to medics after suffering an horror knee injury as he’s left fighting back tears.
      Contestant Finley took on his next challenge called the Gauntlet.
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      It required the contenders to get to the end of the Gauntlet in just 30 seconds – while there were four zones each protected by a Gladiator.
      But things took a nasty turn when Finley injured his knee during the intense game.
      Gladiators has returned after decades off airCredit: BBC
      Mark Clattenburg refereed the Champion’s League cup final and Euro 2016 finalCredit: Getty More

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      ‘World’s hottest referee’ wows fans with sexy bikini snaps as she tries stand-up paddleboarding on Thailand holiday

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      THE “world’s hottest referee” has left her followers stunned with her latest holiday snaps.The beautiful Karolina Bojar-Stefanska officiates in the Ekstraliga, the top tier of the women’s game in her homeland of Poland.
      The ‘world’s hottest referee’ has stunned fans with her latest holiday snapsCredit: INSTAGRAM @bojarmeow
      The gorgeous Karolina Bojar-Stefanska has been enjoying a holiday in ThailandCredit: INSTAGRAM @bojarmeow
      The Polish official tried her hand at paddleboardingCredit: INSTAGRAM @bojarmeow
      She shared a number of photos from her trip to Koh Lipe IslandCredit: INSTAGRAM @bojarmeow
      The 26-year-old hit the headlines when she married fellow Polish ref Daniel Stefanski.
      Fifa-listed Stefanski, 45, is a regular in the middle in the men’s top-flight in their home country.
      He and Karolina tied the knot in October 2020 and even got the chance to officiate together just over a year ago.
      That occurred at an event in the Polish city of Gliwice and the beautiful Karolina shared photos from that occasion with her 164,000 Instagram followers.
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      Away from the pitch, Karolina has wowed fans with a number of holiday shots of herself travelling the globe.
      Pictures from her adventures to both Greece and the Maldives have previously been shared by her on social media.
      Now the gorgeous whistler shared a photo dump from her latest exploits in Thailand.
      And she left little to the imagination with her kit.
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      The first snap showed her in a tiny black bikini holding a paddle board on the beach, and that was followed up by her standing upright on it out on the sea.
      Karolina, who had tagged herself in Koh Lipe Island, then finished her post with a shot of her in action on it, captioning the trio of pictures with the message: “My first time on a SUP.”
      And it did not take very long with her legion of admirers to jump into the comments.
      “Wow” and “incredible” were two of the most popular and regular compliments she received.
      Another declared that she was a “super beautiful girl”.
      A fourth simply called her “wonderful” as a fellow admirer declared: “I have a crush on you. I love you.”
      Karolina Bojar-Stefanska is married to fellow official Daniel StefanskiCredit: Instagram
      Karolina officiates in the women’s top-flight in her homelandCredit: Instagram @bojarmeow
      She regularly wows her followers with the photos from her travelsCredit: INSTAGRAM @bojarmeow More

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      PMGOL accused of snubbing female ref and acting ‘like a Mayfair Gentleman’s club’ by former referees boss Keith Hackett

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      KEITH HACKETT has launched a blistering attack on the PGMOL, accusing the referees’ body of operating “like a Mayfair Gentleman’s Club”.Former top ref Hackett, 79, is fuming Rebecca Welch has been snubbed since becoming the first woman to referee a Prem match last month.
      Rebecca Welch has only refereed one Premier League matchCredit: Alamy
      Keith Hackett has slammed PGMOLCredit: Getty
      She received rave reviews from fans and pundits after being in charge of Fulham’s 2-0 defeat to Burnley at Craven Cottage on December 23.
      Her appointment coincided with a period of improved diversity within the PGMOL under chief Howard Webb’s reign.
      But the 40-year-old has not been named for any top-flight games since and is also missing from the latest match-list of Prem appointments up to January 22.
      And ex-PGMOL boss Hackett let rip at Webb and Co, blasting: “A £26million pound business run by a bunch of amateurs who operate like a Mayfair Gentleman’s Club.
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      “Job for the boys – when is Rebecca Welch going to be appointed to her next Premier League game?
      “Was it to look good from a PGMOL PR point of view. She officiated well.”
      Three days later Sam Allison became the first black referee to take charge of a Prem match in 15 years – Sheffield United’s game against Luton.
      FA chiefs have set targets of increasing the diversity of match officials across the footballing pyramid and want an increase of 1,000 women refs and 1,000 black or Asian officials at all levels in three years.
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      But ex-firefighter Allison, 42, has also not had another top-flight appointment since.
      Hackett’s blast comes after a catalogue of high-profile ref and VAR blunders this season – the latest being Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s “crazy” red card in the FA Cup draw with Crystal Palace which was overturned by the FA on Tuesday.
      The PGMOL declined to comment, but it is understood that, as Welch and Allison are Championship refs, it would be unusual for either of them to receive another top-flight appointment so soon, especially as the Championship has a full programme, while the Prem is on a staggered winter break.
      However, it is expected they will be appointed to other top-flight games later this season. More

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      Referee forced to contact VAR room by MOBILE PHONE to confirm goal mid-game after bizarre tech issue

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      VAR issues during a Serie A match forced officials to confirm a goal via mobile phone.Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi briefly interrupted Frosinone’s clash with Monza for an unknown reason, an interval which allowed players to rehydrate.
      The Serie A match between Frosinone and Monza was blighted by VAR communication issuesCredit: Rex
      Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi had to halt the match in the first half due to the VAR dramaCredit: REX
      She awarded Monza their second goal of the match after the fourth official received a phone call from VAR officialsCredit: Rex
      Play resumed after a few minutes, although many were left wondering the reason for the impromptu stoppage.
      It soon became apparent the issue was VAR-related after Monza doubled their lead in the 45th minute.
      A problem in the VAR room initially prevented the use of slow-motion replay.
      The on-the-field officials were also unable to communicate with their VAR counterparts – meaning one of the VAR team had to ring the fourth official and tell the ref that the goal was fine.
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      The technical problems continued in the second half of the match.
      So much so that the stadium announcer went on the tannoy to announce that they were operating without any VAR.
      The issue was eventually resolved and the announcer promptly informed fans that the technology was once again back in use.
      Monza ran out 3-2 winners at the Stadio Benito Stirpe to further Frosinone’s relegation fears.
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      Monza rant out 3-2 winners against relegration battlers FrosinoneCredit: REX
      Strikes from Dany Mota, Valentin Carboni and an own goal by Matias Soule saw the Biancorossi pick up all three points.
      Frosinone are now only five points clear of the drop zone, although they have played a game more than 19th and 20th-placed Empoli and Salernitana.
      Monza will be back in action next Saturday, welcoming table toppers Inter Milan to the Brianteo Stadium.
      Frosinone, meanwhile, travel to the Allianz Stadium on Thursday to take on Juventus in the quarter-final of the Coppa Italia. More

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      Dave Kidd: VAR does NOT need to be reformed, it should be SCRAPPED… and Calvert-Lewin red was the breaking point

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      DCL, VAR, WTF! Sometimes one single incident is so absurd that it has the capacity to bring down an entire house of cards.And when Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was handed a straight red card in Thursday’s FA Cup third-round clash with Crystal Palace, VAR might just have reached its breaking point.
      Dominic Calvert-Lewin was sent off by VAR for this challenge on ThursdayCredit: Getty
      Referee Chris Kavanagh was showed slow-motion footage when called over the the VAR screenCredit: AFP
      Calvert-Lewin executed an excellent tackle on Palace’s Nathaniel Clyne, top-flight referee Chris Kavanagh correctly judged that the challenge was not even a foul and yet, 30 seconds later, he was sent to his monitor and advised to dismiss the England forward.
      There was no ‘excessive force’ in the challenge, Calvert-Lewin was not ‘endangering an opponent’ and he actually won the ball with a neat piece of skill close to the Palace box.
      Yet not just one but TWO Premier League referees, in the VAR hub at Stockley Park, decided Kavanagh had made a ‘clear and obvious error’.
      Then the on-field ref — provoked by slow-motion replays — failed to trust his own judgment and refused to uphold his original decision.
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      To add to this farce, VAR is in operation for FA Cup matches played at Premier League stadiums and not for those hosted by EFL clubs.
      Yet for those games staged at top-flight clubs, such as Palace, ‘support VARs’ have also been appointed, meaning VAR Craig Pawson was assisted by Michael Salisbury.
      This undermines the often-stated lie by VAR cheerleaders that ‘it is not the technology but the personnel’ which is to blame for the system’s disastrous application.
      Because the fact is that the more human beings that are involved in any decision, the greater the capacity for human error.
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      VAR must now be scrapped, says Dave KiddCredit: Reuters

      Too many cooks spoil the broth. Too many referees spoil a football match. Now Palace v Everton was a stinker, which ended 0-0 despite Sean Dyche’s side being reduced to ten men.
      And presumably Calvert-Lewin’s three-match ban for a straight red will be rescinded on appeal.
      But while minimal harm was done, this was the clearest possible case of VAR not just failing to improve decision-making but making it actively worse.
      The Luis Diaz offside decision which sentenced Liverpool to their only Premier League defeat of the season at Tottenham in October was more damaging and more ridiculous.
      Too many cooks spoil the broth. Too many referees spoil a football match. Dave Kidd
      But that was a catastrophic one-off failure of process from VAR Darren England, which led to an incorrect on-field decision being upheld.
      The Calvert-Lewin incident was a glaring example of how slow-motion replays persuade highly experienced referees to disbelieve their own eyes.
      And of how the procedure of a VAR sending a referee to his monitor is a charade, given that 99 per cent of the time, this leads to an on-field official overturning his decision.
      Perhaps the Calvert-Lewin incident will lessen, or even end, the use of slo-mo replays.
      But what we really need is for pundits and prominent journalists to stop parroting the phrase ‘VAR will never be scrapped’.
      These are invariably people who never pay to attend matches and fail to fully comprehend how VAR interferes with the joyful spontaneity of football — a sport in which so many refereeing decisions are subjective, meaning the idea of absolute justice will always be impossible.
      Why can’t VAR be scrapped?
      And how is it helpful to keep saying ‘VAR will never be scrapped’, when most people want it scrapped and it absolutely could be scrapped.
      Arguing against technology does not automatically make you a member of the Flat Earth Society howling at the moon.Dave Kidd
      This is an extension of a dangerous ‘computer says no’ culture.
      Just watch ITV1’s brilliant drama Mr Bates v The Post Office to understand the extraordinary scale of human misery caused by a faulty computer system — and by the inability of apparently sensible people to believe that technology can possibly be wrong.
      Likewise, try to get some common sense out of Barclays Bank over their draconian mortgage policies.
      Organisations like the Post Office and Barclays destroy people’s lives by following a ‘computer says no’ mantra.
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      VAR only destroys football matches. But the principle is the same.
      Until we realise that arguing against technology does not automatically make you a member of the Flat Earth Society howling at the moon, then we will never reach the blindingly obvious conclusion that VAR does not need to be reformed, it must be scrapped. More