Source: www.rucriminal.info

The hot topic of near-sports machinations in the most popular sport - football - does not let go of the legendary referee Sergei Khusainov and correspondent Alexei Matveyev. Today on Rucriminal.info - a continuation of the conversation on this burning topic.

- Here explain to our readers-fans: why have leading clubs, for example, "Zenit", "Spartak", CSKA and others been trying for a long time to create hothouse conditions in the Russian championship? Matches with their participation, especially against teams inferior to them in class, are often accompanied by deliberately false referee trills? Why are whistles much more often, and unreasonably, in favor of favorite teams?

 

- Because our referees, unlike their colleagues in Western championships, are not free in their decisions on the field, you understand? Everything continues the same way as when I worked on the football field. I remember the chief referee, Nikolai Levnikov (yes, the father of the current referee Kirill Levnikov, - editor's note) was called to the "carpet" by football, I almost said, near-football bosses, and they cursed at him with choice obscenities. Well, very "big specialists" in football! They publicly demanded that this or that referee be removed, saying that they were not satisfied with their level. And weak-willed Nikolai, as a rule, followed their lead. Otherwise, they could have removed him... Such is the reality. The money for the referees is essentially paid by the presidents of the clubs, they, of course, tacitly "run" the process. Yes, yes, don't be surprised, dear fans, journalists, and other fans of the game, here in Russia, the popular game is sometimes run by hardened mafiosi. A deep-rooted, unbroken chain of "traditions".

 

- Frankly, it's even scary to hear. And how are things in Western championships? About the same, or are there other "traditions", in some ways, maybe fresher, unlike our home-grown championship?

 

- In the West, it's fresher, yes. There, the money for referees' salaries is allocated by the national football federations themselves, everything is clear and transparent. Club representatives have nothing to do with it at all. Well, that's the way things are in the entire civilized world. And, unlike the Russian championship, even the presidents of the most respected clubs in Europe cannot "sand" the referees of a particular match with their last words. Referees are responsible for their possible mistakes only to the panel of judges. There, such problems are handled by professionals. In Russia, anyone can put in their "two cents" in the form of humiliating remarks, all sorts of post-match "attacks". Anyone can give a referee a hard time. So-called influential fans from among the businessmen involved in sponsoring specific clubs, all sorts of big-game businessmen, and other gentlemen like them are especially guilty of this...

 

A "wrong" penalty, for money?

 

- At one time, fans, experts, and all sorts of football businessmen pounced on the famous refereeing master Valentin Ivanov, the son of the famous Torpedo and USSR national team forward Valentin Koz'mich Ivanov. Valka, as many simply called him, awarded an extremely "strange" penalty against Spartak in a match against CSKA. Hotheads even claimed that Valentin "sold out" before the match even started. What can you say?

 

- Well, you know, you can claim anything... But, frankly speaking, I didn't expect such a gaffe from the best referee at that time. I don't think it was a bribe. And Ivanov Jr. most likely didn't receive an "order", for example, from the then president of the football union Vyacheslav Koloskov. They could have put pressure on Valentin in other ways. For example, in the case of "disobedience", limiting the number of matches a capable referee could work. Yes, football officials have done such vile things, in essence. Deep down, I hoped, and I was not the only one, that Valentin was able to withstand the behind-the-scenes pressure. Alas, I must admit, I was wrong.

 

- Experts of your level claimed that Ivanov could easily be demoted in his rating for possible displays of obstinacy, disobedience to backroom orders from the mafia. In essence, not let him work, assign him to matches less often, and so on, right? Is this the fate of all obstinacy in big football?

 

- It turns out that this is the case. Is it only in football? In many areas of life it is about the same, if not worse.

 

- It could not be worse! In essence, this is a ban on the profession for an honest person. However, it is unlikely that the same football referee Ivanov can be called a crystal-clear honest person who appointed that infamous penalty in every sense of the word against the "red-whites".

 

- Are there really no honest people left in your refereeing community? Are they all corrupt, or what?

 

- Why not? There are some. They do not make deals with their conscience, but suffer from it. Their bosses are "slowing down", they appoint referees to matches much less often. Yes, the unsportsmanlike principle remains at the head. I have already said that honest, principled people have a hard time living in football...

To be continued...

Source: www.rucriminal.info