David Elleray, boss of Belgian referees, was forced to step aside this week, the Nieuwsblad tells us. The Englishman is at the center of an investigation by the English Football Federation. Elleray is suspected of having made inappropriate and degrading remarks, in particular towards an employee with poor eyesight. He would have greeted the man with these words: “I would like to say it’s nice to see you but you can’t say the same.”
But that’s not all since the investigation is also looking into racist remarks towards referees of African origin, compared to coal miners. The facts date back to 2014, when Elleray was an important member of the English and international arbitration commissions, according to the Nieuwsblad. But no investigation was opened at the time. When hiring David Elleray in 2018, the Belgian federation had heard of this affair but did not take it into account. It was only when a woman, whom he had called “old lady”, decided to file a complaint, that the English Federation decided to carry out an internal investigation. Elleray has already apologized and had to take an equality and diversity course but the investigation is ongoing.
“We are waiting for David Elleray to be available again”, explained the spokesperson for the Department of Belgian arbitrators to our Dutch-speaking colleagues. But a return of the Englishman to the top of Belgian arbitration seems unlikely.
VAR errors could cost the VAR Manager his place
But this should not be the only replacement in the highest instances of Belgian arbitration. Thus, Fredy Fautrel, VAR manager in Belgium, should also take the door at the end of the season. The French pays for the (too) many errors of the VAR in recent weeks. He should be replaced by Christoph Dierick, who will retire from the field at the end of the season.
In recent weeks, the VAR has been noticed in the wrong way. Sissako’s goal canceled against Cercle for a non-existent offside is a striking example. So did the decision not to award Beerschot a penalty in the Antwerp derby last weekend. In the first half, Ilias Sebaoui was stopped at fault by Jean Butez but neither the referee of the match Mr. Verboomen nor the VAR intervened. A double error according to the Department of Referees who communicated on this subject on Monday.
On the set of the Extra Time program on the VRT, the player from Ghent and former Beerschot Tarik Tissoudali insinuated that “the VAR favored the big clubs more”. “I often have the feeling that when you play against bigger clubs, the VAR will whistle against you more. In Ghent, I notice just the opposite, they whistle more easily for me. ‘reverse.’
