[30stone]

England Handed Banned Referee For World Cup Opener


England's opening World Cup game will be controlled by a referee banned for two months for incompetence.

Brazilian whistler Carlos Simon has also been accused of being corrupt.

FIFA picked Simon to take charge of England’s game with the USA on Saturday despite the ban imposed in November.

The 44-year-old was blasted for his handling of the vital game between Fluminense and Palmeiras, when he disallowed a perfectly good goal for the visitors and also denied them a stonewall penalty as the relegation-threatened home side won 1-0.

Simon, a trade union official who refereed England’s 1-1 draw with Sweden in their first match of the 2002 World Cup, had already been on the receiving end of fierce criticism for his handling of games over the past decade.

But the performance in the *Maracana caused outrage. Palmeiras president Luiz Gonzaga Belluzzo, who had no previous record of inflammatory comments, said: “He is in someone’s back pocket. This man is a crook who should not be going to the World Cup. He assaulted Palmeiras.

“It is clear Simon is a man without shame and a b*****d. He should be kicked out of football. I am 67, but if I saw him in the street I would give him a slap.”

During the 2006 World Cup, he was captured on camera smiling after sending off Sweden’s Teddy Lucic during their game with hosts Germany, receiving a pat on the back from the home side’s Lukas Podolski.

Despite that, FIFA picked him for his third successive World Cup.




WHY!? Why is this man still called up the world cup despite obviouslybeing corrupt and CRAP!

I know english refs arent good my jeez they have more talent than this!

[bbfan1991]

Oh dear, I bet it's part of Platini and co's evil plan for England not to win lmao.

[30stone]

Ridiculous really..

But ohh well i have hope we willl still win.