Belarus referee banned for being drunk
A top referee has been suspended after allegedly going on a vodka binge before officiating a key league game. The referee claimed he had back pain but was later allegedly found to be drunk.
Sergei Shmolik, 43, was allegedly so drunk he was barely able to move around the pitch and "gestured like a clown" during a recent game in the Belarus premier league.
Blotto: Shmolik gleefully waves to the crowd as he is escorted off the pitch
"It's beyond my comprehension," said Belarus coach Bernd Stange, who watched the match.
The referee, who officiated at Wembley when England beat Luxembourg 6-0 in 1999, was voted the best in Belarus only last year.
Yes, the official was so drunk that he had to be escorted off the pitch while working what appears to be a youth soccer match in Belarus:
Referee Sergei Shmolik was helped off the field with back pain while officiating a Belarus league match, but later was shown to be drunk.
Shmolik was hardly moving by the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, officiating from the central circle by the end of the game.
Presball said Shmolik got help after the match but later was taken to the hospital for a test, which showed high levels of alcohol in his system.
I’m amazed that the feigned back pain act didn’t work for Shmolik. Whenever I come into work drunk, I just tell them my carpal tunnel is acting up again and I’ll be taking a half-day. No questions asked.
Sergei Shmolik, 43, was allegedly so drunk he was barely able to move around the pitch and "gestured like a clown" during a recent game in the Belarus premier league.
Blotto: Shmolik gleefully waves to the crowd as he is escorted off the pitch
"It's beyond my comprehension," said Belarus coach Bernd Stange, who watched the match.
The referee, who officiated at Wembley when England beat Luxembourg 6-0 in 1999, was voted the best in Belarus only last year.
Yes, the official was so drunk that he had to be escorted off the pitch while working what appears to be a youth soccer match in Belarus:
Referee Sergei Shmolik was helped off the field with back pain while officiating a Belarus league match, but later was shown to be drunk.
Shmolik was hardly moving by the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, officiating from the central circle by the end of the game.
Presball said Shmolik got help after the match but later was taken to the hospital for a test, which showed high levels of alcohol in his system.
I’m amazed that the feigned back pain act didn’t work for Shmolik. Whenever I come into work drunk, I just tell them my carpal tunnel is acting up again and I’ll be taking a half-day. No questions asked.