The NBA had Tim Donaghy fixing games, which is a pretty dastardly thing to do, but in the soccer leagues of Belarus they have a very different problem with their referees, drunkenness.
Initially, referee Sergei Schmolik was escorted off the field and taken to the hospital for tests because it seemed like his back was hurting him. It wasn’t. His strange refereeing style may have had something to do with the fact that he instead tested for high levels of alcohol in his system.
“The stadium crowd were stunned by Shmolik’s peculiar behaviour. The referee was hardly moving by the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, as he officiated the game from the centre circle, refusing to go to his pocket for any cards throughout.
“I haven’t seen a drunk referee before. It’s just beyond my comprehension,” said Belarus national coach Berndt Stange, who was at the game.”
I particularly love the wave he gives to the crowd as he comes off the field, I just can’t believe they even needed to test for alcohol, as it seems pretty clear to me that he’s hammered, but then again, I’d be hammered if I was in Belarus too…
Is this a kids game? Gym class? What the hell is going on in this clip? Would there be a huge crowd for middle-school soccer?