Chris Crowe
New Member
I was refereeing an U11 game last week and prior to the kick off I notice a player wearing glasses, I asked the manager that the player remove them before he played in the game as they could potentially cause an injury if the ball were to hit him and the face and possibly injure other players as well, the Manager stated the lad could not see without them so I ask that he not play and the manger duly obliged.
At half time I was greeted by a rather irate Mother who asked if I knew the rules of the game and that her son was entitled to play as she had got it in writing that he was allowed to play, to which I said please show me and she could not , she also then proceeded to state I was discriminating against people who wear glasses which i found amusing as I wear them myself as well as my 2 sons and that she was going to report me to the League.
I pointed out that I was not there to stop kids playing football that was not what I want to do , I was protecting her son's safety and the other players. If the lad had the sports goggles that players can wear there would not have been a problem.
At the end of the game I went to see the mother to give her my name and FAN Number for when she was reporting me to the League, unfortunately she would not take it and proceeded to tell me she had just found something on the internet on her phone that said her son could have played again she would not show me though.
Would be interested to know if any referee had come across a similar situation and how they handled it?
At half time I was greeted by a rather irate Mother who asked if I knew the rules of the game and that her son was entitled to play as she had got it in writing that he was allowed to play, to which I said please show me and she could not , she also then proceeded to state I was discriminating against people who wear glasses which i found amusing as I wear them myself as well as my 2 sons and that she was going to report me to the League.
I pointed out that I was not there to stop kids playing football that was not what I want to do , I was protecting her son's safety and the other players. If the lad had the sports goggles that players can wear there would not have been a problem.
At the end of the game I went to see the mother to give her my name and FAN Number for when she was reporting me to the League, unfortunately she would not take it and proceeded to tell me she had just found something on the internet on her phone that said her son could have played again she would not show me though.
Would be interested to know if any referee had come across a similar situation and how they handled it?