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UEFA backs referee

VIENNA: Football spectators and analysts have complained for years that the penalty area resembles little more than a wrestling ring at corners or free kicks, with referees criticized for doing nothing about the unseemly jostling and pushing by players.

The situation seemed unchanged at the European Championship until, deep in injury time on Thursday, English referee Howard Webb awarded co-host Austria a penalty kick after Poland defender Mariusz Lewandowski had pulled Sebastian Proedl’s shirt.

The decision led to Austria saving a 1-1 draw and sent Poland coach Leo Beenhakker into paroxysms of rage at the apparent inconsistency in officiating, but UEFA said on Friday that Webb had acted entirely correctly.

“You saw that the free kick was taken twice. There was a lot of wrestling in the area and that’s probably why, since he was confronted with the problem during the match, that he finally took that decision,” UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said. “He was certainly within the laws of the game, that’s for sure.”

“Maybe he considered this foul was worse than what he had experienced during the rest of the game.” — AP

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