Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis has spoken for the first time since his alleged elbow on Liverpool defender Andy Robertson against Arsenal last weekend.
The clash between the pair stunned football fans on Sunday as the assistant referee threw an elbow out at the Liverpool star as the defender confronted him at halftime.
The incident enraged several of Jurgen Klopp’s players and fans of the sport have been asking for the referee to receive the same treatment as Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic – who received an eight-game ban after pushing a referee.
Hatzidakis has since been suspended, and will not officiate a game until the PGMOL investigation has been carried out
Speaking on Tuesday for the first time since the incident, Hatzidakis has been quoted saying by the Daily Mail: “Whatever happens, happens. There is nothing more I can say at the moment. I can’t talk about what happened.”
An outcome of the investigation should arrive soon as this is a case that should not drag on.
What right do these so called professional footballers have to follow, surround and get in officials personal spaces. It is a form, or an attempt to intimidate the official. Everyone has the right to protect themselves if they feel threatened, so the actions of the official Mr Hatzidakis should not be brought into question, but the actions of Andy Robertson. There is no respect for the authority in charge of the game now, shame! Footballers behaviour is copied by others in the public domain. They need to be role models, not use thug mentality.
It is time for change within the game, whoever it may be confronts officials there should be consequences. Red card, sin bins, moving the play on 10 yards, as they do in rugby could be a start.
It is time for the whole of football internationally to make a stand, and pull together to remove this behaviour culture from the game.
What ever the player’s misdeed, officials should behave with honour and elbowing players has no room in the modern civilized game.
Why is the onus always on the footballer? Yes I agree that harassment of officials is on the increase, but this was supposedly addressed by those who rule the game and if their rules are not enforced then that is the responsibility of the officials, a few red cards would soon put an end to it.
Robertson was not aggressive in his approach to the assistant referee, so why should an elbow to the face be acceptable? Officials are human, as are players, part of the game and also role models, so should be looked upon and treated in the same manner. What amuses me is that Robertson got a yellow card for complaining about it.
The official must banned to set an example to all match officials who think they are untouchable,hd t bn e other way Robertson wud v seen red n b banned ntbless than 8 games
People who are supposed to protect players are the ones harming them,that’s ridiculous,he can’t go Scott free
I’m fed up with with footballers harassing officials. I don’t mind Robertson as a footballer but if he hadn’t confronted the official this wouldn’t have happened.
Grow up Andy it was a wee tap on the chin. Nothing more.