By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – English Football Association (FA) chairman David Bernstein says he is keeping an “open mind” over the possibility of referees’ comments during matches being recorded following the ongoing row over Mark Clattenburg.
Clattenburg (pictured top), who is on the panel of elite FIFA officials, has been accused by Chelsea of using “inappropriate language” towards their midfielder John Obi Mikel during the recent explosive fixture against Manchester United.
Referees and their assistants are miked up in English football so they can communicate with one another – but their conversations are not recorded.
Bernstein, while refusing to comment specifically on the Clattenburg case, said the issue of recording referees’ on-field conversations should “definitely be looked at”.
But he told the BBC Radio Sportsweek programme that English football could not introduce this unilaterally – even if the referees’ organisation itself gave it the green light.
“Then it would need to go before FIFA or the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to be approved,” said Bernstein.
“The process would be quite long and meticulous.
“One of the great things about IFAB is that it doesn’t jump to make changes too quickly.”
Former Premier League and international referee Graham Poll said, however, that taping conversations was essential in the light of the recent dispute.
“The minimum that should happen is that [conversations are] taped,” said Poll.
“If an allegation comes up, we replay the transcript in private.”
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