In these days of neutral officials at sporting events one has to sympathise with the Russians at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
In the host nation’s Ice Hockey match with the USA, the referee, Brad Meier, an American, disallowed a goal that would have given them a lead late in their key match, that they eventually lost in a shoot-out.
“The referee made a mistake,” said Russian coach Zinetula Bilyalerdinov. Before stating the obvious, “Of course it would have been more effective to have a different judge.”
The game was played in front of a parochial raucous crowd of 11,678 at the Bolshoi Ice Dome, and it is believed not many went home happy! Should the two teams meet later in the final stages of the Games, expect sparks to fly.
In the meantime ,many are siding with the Russians and wondering how the organisers could possibly have appointed a referee from either country in such a key game.
