Vincent Kompany decision will not influence referees says David Elleray
Manchester City defender had red card overturned on appeal
Wednesday 16 January 2013
Related articles
Match officials will not feel hamstrung by the surprise decision to overturn Vincent Kompany's red card against Arsenal, the Football Association's referees chief David Elleray has claimed.
The decision to rule that referee Mike Dean had made an error was the latest in a rash of judgements this season which has seen the FA's regulatory commission overturn no fewer than six red cards handed out to top-flight players.
Kompany was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and the FA's decision has been privately condemned by some officials.
Elleray is chairman of the FA's referees committee and, speaking at the launch of the organisation's 150th anniversary celebrations, he insisted officials would not be suffering any crisis of confidence as a result.
He told Press Association Sport: "The FA has an independent regulatory decision and it has to decide if they believe a referee made a clear and obvious error, and in their view he (Dean) did.
"When you have a referee's decision overturned then some people will be disappointed but ultimately there's a process which has to be gone through.
"We always say to referees to do their job on the field of play and not to worry about anything that happens afterwards.
"Football's history is full of disciplinary decisions that have been overturned but referees are not being influenced by decisions by the regulatory commissions.
"I think there is disappointment in the decision by referees but they accept there is an off-the-field process and there are also certain occasions where clubs, players and managers are disappointed when red cards are supported."
Elleray said some decisions were judgement calls which were extremely difficult to make in a split second but that is "the beauty" of the game.
He added: "The issue is that there will always be some incidents in football which are not black and white. And if you step back that's the beauty of football because people then have things to discuss.
"You have to remember the referee makes an honest decision in real time and they won't get the decision right all the time.
"If you look at the second Manchester United goal on Sunday, if you slow it down there's a case for offside but it would be impossible for anyone to see that in real time. Referees make judgements in a split second."
Apart from Kompany, the other players to have red cards overturned this season were Carlton Cole and Darron Gibson in last month's game between West Ham and Everton, Stoke's Steven Nzonzi, Jordi Gomez of Wigan and Tom Huddlestone of Tottenham.
PA
Latest in Sport
Sport blogs
iBet: A tight game between Northampton and Bradford
A tight game could be in prospect here. Northampton have been keeping things very tight of late and ...
by Gareth Purnell
18 May 2013 02:01 AM
On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: Feeling ill and racing in the rain must be pretty grim
I can’t ever watch games of football or rugby without wistfully wondering what it must be like to be...
by Martin Ayres
16 May 2013 05:10 PM
PSG and the French league must be more proactive in dealing with hooliganism
Since PSG’s exit to Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final in April, PSG have been sur...
by Matthew Riding
15 May 2013 02:37 PM
-
Aleksandar Kolarov accused of abusing Manchester City fans in ugly end to season
-
The Last Word: As David Beckham bows out, spare a thought for the ordinary players facing a crueller end
-
Arsene Wenger says Arsenal 'need stability and to strengthen in the summer' after qualifying for Champions League
-
Sam Wallace: The second coming of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea will be a reunion that can only end in tears
-
James Lawton: When will Arsène Wenger's Arsenal enter the Champions League as anything but a disposable asset?
- 1 British business: We need to stay in the European Union - or risk losing up to £92bn a year
- 2 You thought Ryanair's attendants had it bad? Wait 'til you hear about their pilots
- 3 Sam Wallace: The second coming of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea will be a reunion that can only end in tears
- 4 Gay marriage: David Cameron takes on the 'wreckers' among Conservative MPs in key vote
- 5 It’s official: thanks to Stephen Hawking's Israel boycott, anti-Semitism is no more
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Day In a Page
The price of pacifism
Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond
Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?
Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing
Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'



Comments