September 18th 2024.
During the recent match between Arsenal and Brighton, Declan Rice received a red card for kicking the ball away. This incident caused quite a stir, with many questioning the fairness of the decision. Howard Webb, the head of PGMOL, has now come forward to admit that there were some shortcomings in the officiating of the game.
According to Webb, Joao Pedro of Brighton should have been given a yellow card before Rice's red card. This is because Pedro had delayed Arsenal's ability to restart play by kicking the ball away. However, the referee, Chris Kavanagh, did not take any action against Pedro at the time. Webb has since defended Kavanagh's decision to send off Rice, but admits that Pedro should have received a caution as well.
When asked about Pedro's actions, Webb stated that he should have been booked for delaying the restart. He also explained that this falls under the same category as Rice's second yellow card for kicking the ball away. In this situation, the officials gave Pedro the benefit of the doubt, assuming that his actions did not have a significant impact. However, upon reviewing the footage, it is clear that Pedro's actions did delay Arsenal's ability to restart the game, and therefore, he should have been cautioned.
Webb also mentioned that PGMOL has communicated this feedback to the officials and is committed to being consistent in their application of disciplinary sanctions. He clarified that not every touch of the ball after the whistle will result in a yellow card, and they will consider the player's intentions and impact of their actions before making a decision. However, in cases like Pedro's, where there is a clear impact on the game, a yellow card should be shown.
Moving on to Rice's red card, Webb stated that it could not have been avoided. According to him, the referee had clearly seen Rice commit a foul and then kick the ball away while an opponent was attempting to take a free kick. He also mentioned that PGMOL had made it clear to players in pre-season that they should not interfere with the ball once the whistle has gone and not delay the restart. Webb stated that once Rice deliberately and clearly kicked the ball away, the referee had no choice but to send him off.
Webb was also asked about the ball still moving when Veltman attempted to take the free kick, to which he replied that Rice's actions still had an impact. He explained that the referee's job is to deal with the player's actions, and in this situation, Rice's actions were designed to delay the restart, which resulted in a yellow card.
Finally, when asked if Veltman could have been sent off for violent conduct for kicking Rice, Webb stated that it would be difficult to say anything other than that. He clarified that Veltman was within his rights to take the free kick, and it was not his fault that the ball was moved away by Rice's actions. Therefore, there was nothing that could be done in that particular circumstance.
In conclusion, Webb has shed some light on the decisions made during the Arsenal-Brighton match and has assured that PGMOL is committed to being consistent in their application of disciplinary sanctions. He also clarified that the referee's job is to deal with the player's actions, and in this case, Rice's actions were the cause of his own dismissal.
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