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Referee banned for life for giving out 4 red cards and openly celebrating team’s title win

A referee has been slapped with a lifetime ban after he showed a team four red cars and was later caught celebrating with their opponents.
Ref
Ref

Dutch referee Jan Smith was appointed to officiate the title decider between St. George and SV De Valken in the country’s fourth-tier league.

Smit’s biases were, however, evident throughout the game as he made some questionable calls in favour of the hosts.

The 61-year-old referee sent off three Valken players and also showed a red card to one of the team’s officials on the bench.

As if that was not enough, after realising that St. George were trailing going into stoppage time, he controversially added 15 minutes.

The most damning part of Smit’s officiating was that once the home side equalised, which confirmed their status as champions, he immediately blew his whistle for full-time.

He then went on to celebrate with the St. George players and was captured on camera lifting the trophy with them.

The away side subsequently filed a complaint against the match official, with the Dutch FA acting on it by banning the referee for life.

"We have received several complaints after Sunday's match. This morning we called Mr Smit and told him that he is no longer allowed to referee matches,” KNVB spokesperson Daan Schippers said in a statement.

"We expect a neutral attitude from a referee and that both teams are treated with respect. That is of course where this attitude belongs."

Meanwhile, Smit believes he did nothing wrong by celebrating St. George’s title, insisting he was not going to apologise for his actions.

"I wasn't partying with the players at all. I just sang a song and held up the bowl once. That's the only thing. I find it too sad for words that the KNVB is removing me for that reason. It's laughable,” the banned referee said.

"KNVB has not done any research and only watched one video. I assume that the whistling is now over, but I will no longer get on my knees like I did two years ago."

Smit is unlikely to appeal his lifetime ban after hinting that his career as referee was over.

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