Two Champions League Referees Handed Lengthy Bans After Horrendous Mistake

• The governing body for football in Europe, UEFA, has banned two referees until next year for improper conduct
• The referees were scheduled to officiate a Champions League qualifier game in August but were replaced
• CCTV footage picked up the officials stealing a road sign in what they have now claimed was a prank with no ill intentions

Two referees have been banned from officiating matches until next year following a terrible mistake on the eve of a Champions League game.

Bartosz Frankowski and Tomasz Musial were set to officiate the Champions League qualifier between Rangers and Dynamo Kyiv in August.

The two were, however, replaced just before the game following reports of improper behaviour. As the BBC reports, the Polish duo were out drinking and made away with a road sign in the process.

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Referees handed lengthy bans

They were replaced from officiating duty after they were arrested by authorities. UEFA's disciplinary body has now banned the two until June 2025 for breaching the basic rules of decent conduct.

Frankowski has since released a statement owning up to his mistake.

"I realise that with one such violation, I ruined 22 years of refereeing, ruined my entire career. I should have calmly prepared for the match and not gone anywhere," he said, as quoted by SPORTBible.

The official further stated that the road sign was a prank but apologised after it was perceived wrongly.

"We did not suspect that it would be perceived this way. We had no bad intentions. It was stupidity, an idiotic fantasy; I don’t even know what to call it."

The two were also suspended by the Polish FA in August.

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Italian referee banned for threatening player

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that an Italian referee had been banned after threatening a player.

Fabio Maresca is said to have used threatening terms to a player while he was officiating a Kuwait Premier League encounter between Kuwait SC and Al-Arabi.

Serie A referees have grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons this year. In March, Marco Di Bello was heavily criticised for his controversial performance in AC Milan vs Lazio.

Source: TUKO.co.ke