The first referee faces a penalty in the 2017 V-League season.

The refereeing committee has proposed suspending referee Duc Vu from officiating duties due to a misunderstanding during the match between Hanoi and Quang Ninh on the afternoon of January 7th.

“The refereeing committee has reviewed the video footage. We have made a proposal regarding the disciplinary action and submitted it to the VFF for approval. We will not announce the penalty; that is our principle,” Head of the Refereeing Committee Nguyen Van Mui shared with VnExpress.

In the 89th minute of the match between Hanoi and Quang Ninh, Jardel rushed in to receive a high ball and was slightly pulled down inside the penalty area. Referee Duc Vu blew the whistle and pointed to the penalty spot. Quang Ninh fans at Hang Day Stadium jumped for joy. However, immediately afterwards, the referee signaled that it was a goal kick for Hanoi. Jardel clutched his head and looked up at the sky, expressing his disappointment. Not being awarded a penalty, Quang Ninh lost 2-3 in their opening match of the 2017 season.

Referee Duc Vu will not be assigned to officiate in the next four rounds. Photo: Ngoc Dung.

After the match, referee Duc Vu stated that in that situation, he pointed for Hanoi to take a free kick, but because he pointed towards the penalty spot, it caused a misunderstanding. The referee explained that Jardel may have intentionally dived to try and win a penalty. He noted that the foreign player had been involved in several similar incidents in the first half.

The referee was not disciplined for his errors in judging whether or not a penalty was awarded. However, due to his indecisive handling of the situation, referee Duc Vu may not be assigned to officiate in the next four rounds.

According to VNE