With the recent Rooney clapping the ref event in mind, I flicked onto a Spanish game at the weekend (Barcelona vs Real Betis) and saw a Betis player get sent off for exactly the same thing. He was running shoulder to shoulder with a defender for a ball, fell over looking for a free kick and threw his arms up at the ref when he didn't get one. The ref pulled out a yellow card, and he promptly applauded the decision whereupon the ref showed him a red.
IMO this clampdown on dissent is long overdue, I only hope that it carries over into the serious abuse that some refs get from some players as well as just sarcastic applause. What do people think about this? Answers on a postcard...
Bookmarks