Swiss Referee banned for three games

[Sunny]

Swiss ref banned over fan insult

Mr Busacca is more used to giving red cards than receiving them
A high-profile Swiss football referee has been given a three-match ban for insulting fans.

Massimo Busacca was pictured waving his middle finger at crowds during a match between FC Baden and Young Boys.

He had asked for a warning to be played over the public address system after Baden supporters ran onto the pitch.

Mr Busacca said he was provoked by the subsequent "verbal abuse" he received from the fans, but he apologised for his "unsporting gesture".

"I lost my cool," he said in a statement.

Mr Busacca was in charge at last season's Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United and is lined up to referee World Cup matches in South Africa in 2010.

The Swiss football association said he was the "best Swiss referee" but that the suspension was to come into force immediately.

Ha, I can just imagine the ref giving the crowd the bird.

 

[gkmacca]

Waving his middle finger at Young Boys? He was asking for it.

 

[Sunny]

It does make me laugh though. Fans shout, scream and gesticulate all kinds of abuse at players yet when they get a little back, no matter how trivial, the sense of outrage from the public and the media is laughable. I think a bit of banter is more than acceptable and can be quite humorous at times.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=35969.msg948041#msg948041 date=1253620225]
It does make me laugh though. Fans shout, scream and gesticulate all kinds of abuse at players yet when they get a little back, no matter how trivial, the sense of outrage from the public and the media is laughable. I think a bit of banter is more than acceptable and can be quite humorous at times.
[/quote]

Yes, but the Swiss aren't exactly known for their glorious sense of humour, are they?

 

[localny]

I ran a tournament one time, it was in the US, and a Canadian team came. They slagged off every decision the ref made, and just wouldn't shush. They were obnoxious. Anyhow, eventually the ref said "shut the F up".

Well, for the next day, these lads wouldn't stop complaining about the ref saying such a thing. It cracked me up. I'd rather he didn't say anything, but what do people expect. Having said that the ref in a professional game could incite a riot with the wrong teams...