For players, it's informal speech; for coaches, handshakes are refused... After controversial calls, now 'referee attitude' sparks debate

*This content was translated by AI.

This time, it's a controversy over attitude. The professional soccer K League referees, who have faced fierce criticism for incessant controversial calls, are now under intense scrutiny for actions that show no respect toward players and coaches. During the match, they used informal speech toward players and asserted their authority, and allegations have even emerged that they ignored a coach's post-match handshake offer after he protested vigorously. This is also why their pleas for referees to be respected fail to resonate with the public.

The match on the 25th, which drew attention as a showdown between Suwon Samsung and Busan IPark, the two dominant teams in K League 2, took place at Suwon World Cup Stadium. Referee Kim Hee-gon, who officiated the game, came under fire when broadcast footage captured him calling out Suwon's foreign player Bruno Silva with the word "hey" around the 23rd minute of the second half. This occurred immediately after Bruno Silva expressed dissatisfaction with referee Kim Hee-gon's decision to award Busan a free kick late, despite it not being a corner kick.

Referee Kim Hee-gon called Bruno Silva over and gestured for him to approach. Although his voice was not clearly audible, online communities claimed that based on the referee's lip movements, he said, "Hey, come here," using informal speech. Regardless of the player being foreign, referring to a player as "hey," standing rigidly while glaring at him and demanding he come closer, could only be seen as an assertion of authority.

That was not all. In the final moments of the second half, with the score tied 2-2, Suwon was awarded a penalty kick following a handball foul by the opponent. The Busan bench protested, arguing that the handball was unavoidable after the center of gravity shifted during an aerial challenge, but referee Kim Hee-gon upheld the penalty kick decision for Suwon after an on-field review.

During this process, Busan coach Cho Sung-hwan became furious and protested vehemently. Other members of the coaching staff had to intervene to calm him down. A penalty kick decision in the final moments of a fierce battle for first place. Especially given that the handball call was undeniably unfair for Busan, the bench's anger was understandable. Ultimately, the decision was not overturned, and this penalty kick led to the winning goal for Suwon's 3-2 victory.

After the match ended, coach Cho Sung-hwan approached the referees, including Kim Hee-gon, as they were leaving the field and offered a handshake. However, referee Kim Hee-gon turned his shoulder and simply walked past coach Cho. Coach Cho's outstretched hand for a handshake was left awkwardly hanging, and in the end, coach Cho could only watch the backs of the referees as they departed, looking bewildered. Coincidentally, referee Kim Hee-gon shook hands with another match official who was in front of him before leaving the stadium.

It remains unclear whether coach Cho Sung-hwan's outstretched hand went unnoticed by referee Kim Hee-gon or if it was a deliberate refusal as it appeared. However, given that referee Kim Hee-gon looked at coach Cho Sung-hwan approaching the referees, turned his shoulder as if intentionally avoiding him, and left coach Cho's hand hanging in the air for a while, fans suspected it was a deliberate "pass." A club official said, "It's true that tensions ran high because it was an important match, but normally everyone exchanges greetings after the game ends. Coach Cho Sung-hwan offered a handshake to the referee, but whether the referee didn't see it or for some other reason, such a scene (a pass) occurred," expressing regret.

The issue is that this "attitude controversy" involving referee Kim Hee-gon is not the first time he has faced public criticism. During a match between FC Seoul and Gangwon FC, he came under fire for approaching Na Sang-ho, who expressed dissatisfaction with a call, in a manner that seemed as if he was about to fight. Even Ki Sung-yueng, a player, had to intervene to stop the referee, and when Ki Sung-yueng tried to dissuade him, the referee brushed him aside and continued forward. Furthermore, it is not only referee Kim Hee-gon; several K League referees have been involved in controversies multiple times for using informal speech and displaying high-handed attitudes toward players.

A club official in the K League stated, "It may not be to the extent of receiving a 90-degree bow from players who express dissatisfaction as in the past, but it is true that there are still referees who display authoritarian attitudes on the field. Everyone must be sensitive to decisions, so it is common and natural to strongly appeal or express dissatisfaction. All leagues are the same. However, referees should calmly and coolly resolve such situations, not respond emotionally. While they ask for their decisions to be respected, it is necessary to reflect on how much they respect players, coaching staff, and teams."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.