The linesman under investigation over claims he elbowed Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson has broken his silence. Constantine Hatzidakis says he is prepared for whatever the Football Association decides.
Speaking outside of his south London home on Tuesday, he said: “Whatever happens, happens. There is nothing more I can say at the moment. I can’t talk about what happened.”
The incident occurred on Sunday during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against league leaders Arsenal at Anfield. Robertson had been warned for descent against Hatzidakis earlier in the game and emotions appeared to boil over during the halftime break.
Robertson claimed that he had been elbowed in the face by Hatzidakis while he was leaving the field. The clash was caught on camera as Liverpool players surrounded referee Paul Tierney in protest.
The 38-year-old has since been taken off duty while the FA carry out an investigation into the alleged elbow. Robertson and other players who witnessed the altercation will be asked to make statements as well as Hatzidakis’ fellow officials.
The Professional Game Match Official Limited (PGMOL), who oversee the Premier League’s officials, have confirmed that Hatzidakis will not return to action until the conclusion of the FA’s investigation.
Former premier league referee Mark Hansley believes Hatzidakis should receive an eight-match ban for his actions. “Match officials are the guardians of standards and must be accountable if found guilty for that type of behaviour towards a player,” he told talkSPORT.
“If Mitrovic has been banned for a technical assault, they could say that the assistant referee as technically assaulted a player. So you’re looking at two similar incidents aren’t ya? If found guilty, he has to suffer the consequences of an eight-game ban. They set the precedent, haven’t they?”
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