More support for suspended ref.

Press, 19 April 1979, Page 6

More support for suspended ref.

PA Auckland Support for the stand taken by the Hamilton referee, Mr John Cameron, in officiating at the national soccer league clash between Mt Wellington and Blockhouse last Sunday, is growing. A meeting of the New Zealand Referees’ Association in Wellington on Tuesday evening decided to suspend Mr Cameron because he took control of the Rothmans league match and because he commented to a newspaper afterwards that he “could,” not as the association said, “would” be suspended. Mr John Arnold, a former member of the Auckland Football Association’s control board and a New Zealand Football Association councillor. sent a telegram to the N.Z.R.A. today on behalf of a number of councillors, including the A.F.A. chairman, Mr Charlie Dempsey.

In the telegram. Mr Arnold urged the N.Z.R.A. to postpone until the next N.Z.F.A. council meeting on May ■5 any decision to suspend Mr Cameron as he had been requested by Mr Dempsey and a number of other high ranking administrators to take

control of the game after the local referees’ appointment body had refused to supply officials for the game. “Surely, they, the N.Z.R.A . cannot expect a club to advertise a game — and it seems everybody knew it was on — and then have it called off because local officials are not available.” said Mr Arnold.

In its reply to Mr Arnold, the N.Z.R.A. pointed out that Mr Cameron was suspended on two'counts.

One because he refereed the game and the other because he spoke to the press afterwards — a move which is outside the laws of the N.Z.R.A. which prohibits their “top” referees speaking out, as any statement must be made by their official spokesman only. Mr Arnold, on receipt of the reply to his telegram, said that the N.Z.R.A. should remember that it was only an affiliate of the N.Z.F.A. and as such would be bound by any decision the parent body might make. “I understand the N.Z.R.A. is to meet before the weekend to discuss the matter.” said Mr Arnold. “Should they fail to give what we, the

[councillors involved, consider [a satisfactory answer then jwe may well call for an emergency meeting of the I N.Z.F.A. and have the matter held over until the Mav [council meeting “We feel that Mr Cameron lacted in good faith and that he should not. in anv wav, be penalised for what may well turn out to be merely a clerical mistake in that the local referees did not receive official notification of the match.

“But whatever the N.Z.R.A. decided we feel that Mr Cameron must have an avenue of appeal and this obviously remains with the N.Z.F.A.” According to the chair, man of the N.Z.R.A. (Mr K. Dobie) Mr Cameron will b» given the chance to attend the referees’ meeting but until that meeting he is suspended from all Rothmans league games, including the Blockhouse Bay v. Stop Out encounter for which he was assigned this Sunday. Mr Cameron, who has already sent a statement to the N.Z.R.A., declined to make any statements on the matter yesterday. If given the chance he would go to Wel--1 lington to discuss the matterj