The controversy with the refereeing looms large here in the domestic competition of Bangladesh football, though it is one of the most significant debates in the world football for years after years.
Though the debates over the decisions of referees have been going across the football world for decades and some European, American, Latin American and Asian powerhouses have been trying to solve the problems applying VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system.
The controversy mainly are misshapen, with the decisions with ball crossing the goal-line, off-side, handball, penalty decision, decision of showing red cards and different kinds of offence players commits during the game and sometimes engage with argument and misbehaves with referees.
There are so many examples that players, referees, match officials and coaches also got punishment for their controversial behaves on the field and off the field.
But there is no example that any referee or any association of referee declared that they would not conduct matches if (any league or tournament) the player play, who protested referees’ complain brought against that particular player.
Bangladesh referees association set the example taking such a decision not to conduct matches if Jamal Bhuiyan, captain of Saif Sporting Club will play. It was an incident during a match in the ongoing TVS Bangladesh Premier League football between Saif Sporting Club and the Sheikh Russel Kira Chakra at the Flight Lt. Matiur Rahman Stadium, Munshiganj on February 13.
It was a controversy generated with a penalty decision and according to referee, team’s captain Jamal Bhuiyan committed offence protesting the referees’(whistled for) penalty decision and he (Jamal) also kicked the referee.
Referee, though did not show him any card (yellow or red) but complained to BFF against Jamal Bhuiyan and the subject is under investigation and yet to any verdict come from the BFF disciplinary committee.
By this time referees’ association claimed that Jamal Bhuiyan in a recent interview to a private TV channel told that referee told lie, he (Jamal) did not kick the referee.
The referees’ association had a meeting after knowing the comment of Jamal in TV interview and decided that they would not conduct any match if Jamal would play.
Whatever would be decision or whoever would be offender, but it would come as a bad example and bring a wrong information when in future referee or players could be united not obey each others and boycott to play or conduct games.
Ultimately it would be very much harmful for progressing country’s football as, both players and referees are part of country’s football.
Meanwhile, the FIFA finally find out the solution of the controversy through the implantation VAR system which was first tested in Netherlands through mock trials during the 2012–13 season of the Eredivisie, the country's top football league.
Despite, there were too much talking about to introduce a Goal-line technology in 2010 World Cup in South Africa, FIFA, officially approved the use of VAR for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and it became the first competition to use VAR in full (at all matches and in all venues).
Very recent, Carabao Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool half chances of goal was disallowed goals at Wembley on Sunday night, with an off-side decision and Chelsea fans strongly reacted to the controversial disallowed for Romel Lukaku’s off-side decision.
However, currently, with the controversial decisions of referee seen to take the main focus of a match and very few matches left without any controversy of referees’ decisions and ultimately BFF come under fire by some of the clubs, coaches and players.
Probably till now it has not happened in the football history that referees or referees’ association of any country declared to boycott the matches protesting of any particular player’s comments on referee.
