Declan Rice’s red card has been criticized by a former PGMOL official, with an insider commenting on the incident linked to Arsenal.
An ex-PGMOL chief has condemned the red card issued to Declan Rice, as an insider provides commentary on the Arsenal-related event.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has criticized the decision to send off Arsenal’s Declan Rice during the match against Brighton, stating that the player was unfortunate to receive a red card.
Hackett contends that referee Chris Kavanagh did not apply the spirit of the law appropriately in this instance.
Rice was penalized for allegedly delaying a restart by nudging the ball away as Brighton’s Joel Veltman prepared for a quick free-kick.
This resulted in a second yellow card for Rice, who had already been cautioned in the first half for a tackle on Veltman.
Hackett expressed his disagreement with Kavanagh’s ruling, arguing that Rice was not given sufficient time to move away from the ball.
He also noted that the ball was still in motion when Veltman attempted to take the free-kick, which would have rendered the kick invalid regardless.
In a LinkedIn post, Hackett recalled his tenure as PGMOL chief in 2007, where he outlined his expectations for referees, emphasizing proactive management, effective communication, and accountability.
He lamented the sending off of Rice, questioning whether the referee correctly enforced the law and allowed the player adequate time to distance himself from the ball.
Hackett raised further inquiries about the nature of Rice’s actions, whether they constituted dissent, and why no action was taken against the Brighton player who appeared to kick out at Rice.
Did his behavior indicate any form of visual or verbal disagreement?
Did his actions contribute to a delay in the restart?
Was the referee effective in preventing the situation?
Why was there no response to the opponent of Rice, who clearly kicked out, using the missing ball as a justification?
Earlier in the match, when a player kicked the ball away from the area designated for a restart, why was there no disciplinary action taken?
Rice is unable to contest two yellow cards, so the issue is considered resolved.
The key point here is to provide the referee and his team with the necessary operational guidance.
It is essential for all participants to grasp the SPIRIT OF THE GAME and to prevent similar incidents in the future for the benefit of the sport.
Rice has stated that he apologized to his teammates following the match and will be unavailable for the North London derby on September 15. This marks the first red card of his career.
