It is Expensive to Call a Bundesliga Referee an ‘Idiot’

By: Bob | March 28th, 2007

Two little words worth six thousand euros each. Mainz coach Juergen Klopp has been smacked with a 12,000 euros fine for shouting “you idiot” at a referee during a Bundeliga match last week. I’m all in favor of protecting the feelings of referees…well, actually I am not, but even if I were I would still find a punishment this severe to be absurd.

Surely the referees have been called worse names by players and coaches before. This is a league that features the piss throwing Oliver Kahn after all. It is not like he called him a son of a whore or anything like that. Next time get your money’s worth, Herr Klopp, and borrow some of Harry Redknapp’s vocabulary.

In other jurisprudence news, everyone’s favorite pugilist David Navarro has had his suspension reduced to six months after his eyes welled up and he told the UEFA bosses that he was sorry for his hit and run Champions League actions.

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Category: Bundesliga, World Football

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Kev

Strange looking decision from the DFB. Given that refs get called far worse every time they take the field (and who could doubt it?) you get the feeling they took action largely because Bild newspaper made an issue out of it. Reminds me of a few years ago in Spain when every time Marca or As reported an indiscretion from a non-Real Madrid player the Federation seemed to feel obliged to act. Abuse of press power is turning into a theme this week...