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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

'Drunk' referee helped from pitch

Drunk referee
Sergei Shmolik is helped from the field

Most football fans will, at some point, have wondered aloud whether the referee was drunk when he gave that penalty or missed that blatant foul. But in the case of a Belarusian referee last week, the fans' worst suspicions were proved completely right.

Sergei Shmolik was refereeing a Belarusian Premier League match between FC Vitebsk and FC Naftan Novopolotsk on July 5 when, during the second half, the crowd noticed that he had begun behaving strangely.

By the end of the match (which ended in a 1 – 1 draw) reports suggest that Shmolik was barely able to move. Following the final whistle, after complaining of 'back pain', he had to be helped from the field – a tricky process which seemingly involved him walking like Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Shmolik was taken to hospital to receive treatment for his 'back pain' – where tests discovered that he had a high level of alcohol in his blood.

According to reports, the Football Federation of Belarus will have a disciplinary committee investigate Shmolik's behaviour.

Original here


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