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Stamford Bridge referee won't quit despite abuse
Simon Johnson13.05.09
Tom Henning Ovrebo is adamant he won't quit refereeing despite the abuse he suffered during and after Chelsea's Champions League exit to Barcelona.
Ovrebo came under fire for his display in the semi-final, second leg after turning down four penalty appeals.
The Norwegian was smuggled out of the country the next morning for his own safety amid fears over some reported death threats from Chelsea supporters. But Ovrebo said: "I won't comment on what has happened since Wednesday. My focus is now on my coming matches in Norway. But since this happened I have been noticed more in the street and people are pointing.
"Why do I like football? Why shouldn't I? It's always been part of my life since I was seven - I was playing football since that age so it's hard to stop liking it because of one incident."
Reader views (10)
This is the crucial issue EUFA are going to have solve. How many more Referees who officiate at a Chelsea's home european games are going to have to be ushered out of the ground under police protection and then have their lives threatned? I think ChelseaFC their players and fans are in for a big surprise, I believe a long European ban is on the cards and not before time. Its time this thuggish club its players and fans were taught a lesson.
- James Hennessy, london england
Conspiracy theory is laughable! Had Chelsea put the ball in the net and they had been ruled out then maybe questionable, but the fact is Chelsea only put the ball in the net once! the penalty decisions, had they been given would have been harsh, I did not see a Barcelona player purposely play the ball with his hand, I saw the ball hit a Barcelona's players arm, Drogba's reputation goes before him, he dives, he's a cheat, when he goes down in the penalty area it would have to be so blatant for a referee to give it, if Drogba hadn't spend so much time rolling around the floor pretending to be hurt, there would not have been so much injury time, if he had put his chances away, the game would have been over long before injury time, if Chelsea fans are looking for someone to blame, Drogba is the reason.
- Paxton, N17
Man Utd would beat both teams no problem so really it doesn't really matter does it?
- Kate, London
The man is an unequivocal incompetent whose performance cheated Chelsea out of a Champions League Final appearance. Anyone who says different is either a complete buffoon or is employed by UEFA.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire
Ovrebo is a taxi driver.So made of sterner stuff.He will survive.
- Colin, bexleyheath kent
Most of the previous statements are rubbish.
I was actually abroad when the match was played and in the next 2 days after the match I spoke to several Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, they all said Chelsea were robbed, unlucky or denied by an incompetent ref. Some suggested darkly, it was well known that Platini hates the English and a repeat of last years final was out of the question. So the conspiricy theory isn't just English whining. That the referee was incompetent is beyond doubt and that brings in to question the competence of Platini, Gailliard etc.
And no of course the Norwegian plonkers performance doesn't justify death threats, and let's face it they came from a minority of people who wouldn't really carry out the threat. However, the final is in Rome, where about 15 people have been stabbed, some fatally in recent times, but no one (in UEFA) wants to shout about that. Surely this is a bigger problem than a couple of hyped up players venting their frustration at such incompetence.
- Kerry, Purley
And Fct, if the ref fouls a decision on, say, a free kick, does that warrant maybe just a punch in the face?
- Kb, London
What a ridiculous statement from Fct - we can all sit at hoen watching countless replays from different angles and come up with our own conclusions - it's a diferent matter 'live on the pitch'. And as for your comments that he bought it on himslef - not giving 50/50 penalties (which 3 of them were) justifies death threats and abuse does it? Are you subject to this is your job? Thought not....
- Heather, London
The fact is that the ref had four big decisions to make, and from what unbiased (read:non-English) experts say only one was really debatable. The easy way out would be to give four penalties just to please the home crowd - but then all hell would be loose in Spain... Drogba missed a couple of sitters - should he retire too?
- Kevin, Devon, England
Ovrebo should quit because of his lack of understanding of the laws of the game and his inability to adhere to them, Not because he got a bit of stick from some players.
In the end of the day he bought the whole episode on himself by his actions. Far too much has been made of the players reactions in an attempt to cover up what caused them in the first place!
- Fct, Surrey, England
