UILENBERG: ‘HAVERKORT’S REACTION UNACCEPTABLE’

Head referee Jaap Uilenberg has expressed his opinion that the behaviour of referee Ben Haverkort during Feyenoord’s recent game at FC Twente was unacceptable. Uilenberg published his view in his column on the KNVB’s official website. Haverkort stuck his tongue out at a protesting Patrick Lodewijks after awarding a penalty to the home side. ‘A reaction that is absolutely not good and that cannot be justified,’ says Uilenberg.

‘On Saturday evening in the FC Twente-Feyenoord game Patrick Lodewijks was dissatisfied with the refereeing of Ben Haverkort. After a penalty against Feyenoord Patrick got very angry. He said a few things that are not acceptable, but referee Haverkort did not react to them. After the penalty had been converted Lodewijks left his area to express his displeasure again from distance, both verbally and in gestures. That sort of behaviour would normally attract a yellow card. The referee didn’t do that, but he was apparently so irritated by Lodewijks’s behaviour that he then stuck his tongue out. ’That’s a reaction that is absolutely not good and that cannot be justified. Lodewijks had his match emotions (words and gestures directed at the referee), Haverkort had them too at that moment. At the end, Patrick and Ben discussed it like adults, in the presence of the assistant referees among others. Both parties shook hands as they should. Haverkort had to answer questions from the media at the end of the game, but he correctly did not comment on it as the matter between him and Patrick had already been settled. I repeat: I am not justifying the incident. But if players and referees settle incidents that occur during a match afterwards and then shake each other’s hand, that should in my opinion be respected by both parties and I feel it shouldn’t be mentioned again.’