PGMOL chief Howard Webb has criticised this summer's controversial decision to overturn Folarin Balogun's red card at the World Cup, describing it as 'unhelpful' for referees.
The USA striker was sent off during his nation's last-32 victory against Bosnia & Herzegovina and was subsequently hit with an automatic ban. However, that decision was reversed following a conversation between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and USA President Donald Trump, allowing Balogun to play in the last-16 clash against Belgium.
The move drew serious criticism, though FIFA maintained they did nothing wrong. Webb, a former Premier League official and current PGMOL chief, has now spoken out, suggesting the incident may have damaged the credibility of referees.
Webb's concerns over integrity
Speaking to Sky Sports, Webb said: “Integrity in football is so, so important. We live in a world where conspiracy theories are abounding based on nothing, no fact, no evidence.
“Of course, when something like that happens and there’s external pressure applied, it’s not helpful because it creates a space for those conversations to happen.
“Processes need to be put into place and followed for the integrity of the game. We know suspensions can be appealed in certain competitions and if that process is in place, it’s right that it’s followed.
“Certainly what we saw wasn’t helpful from a refereeing point of view because referees go out there and make a decision based on what they see in moments and that was certainly the case in the Premier League.”
Fuel for conspiracy theories
Webb added: “I don’t think the referee thinks much more about it. They do their job on the day, the VAR does their job on the day.
“I just think that it was the fact that it was admitted post-event that some pressure had been applied and a process implemented. I don’t know the ins and outs of it but at least what we know, it gives fuel to those people that think that those conversations happen all the time and I’m really confident they don’t.
“Anything that gives people energy to fuel conspiracy theories around refereeing decisions is not helpful for us.”
Masters also criticises FIFA
Webb is not the only one to have criticised FIFA for the Balogun u-turn. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters also shared his concern.
He said: "We worry about that particular episode, and of course we don't know what happens.
"I don't understand why FIFA doesn't have a very straightforward red card review process in place, like we do in the Premier League, for example. That I think would have been a much better way to proceed.
"Generally speaking, FIFA is supposed to uphold non-political inference within the game of football. In fact, it's part of its promise that it won't allow it to happen in the rest of the game. So I think it's a big issue, and it needs to be thought through properly."
