In a bizarre incident, a soccer referee in England decided to send himself off the field after realizing he had been whistling too much during a match. The referee, who was not named, was officiating a game between two amateur teams in London on Sunday. He admitted that he had been “overzealous” with his whistle and had interrupted the flow of the game several times.
“I was trying to be strict and fair, but I think I went too far,” the referee said after the match. “I realized that I was annoying everyone, including myself, with my constant whistling. So I decided to show myself a red card and leave the pitch.”
The referee said he had been inspired by a recent video of a Brazilian referee who showed himself a yellow card for accidentally tripping a player. He said he wanted to show respect and humility to the players and the fans.
“I think it was the right thing to do,” he said. “I hope they can forgive me and enjoy the rest of the game.”
The players and the spectators were stunned by the referee’s self-imposed dismissal, but they applauded his honesty and courage. The match continued with another referee, who was more sparing with his whistle. The final score was 2-2.