After the clear criticism of the referee by Paderborn coach Lukasz Kwasniok, the DFB reacted with a statement.
Knut Kircher, managing director of communications and sport at DFB Schiri GmbH, described Kwasniok’s criticism of referee Florian Heft and video assistant Katrin Rafalski on Monday as “mistaken and sometimes inappropriately polemical”.
According to Kwasniok, the referee was “someone from Osnabrück”
Kwasniok had after the 1:3 defeat SC Paderborn against Hertha BSC on Sunday in interviews and at the press conference after the game said, among other things, that there was “a history between SC Paderborn and VfL Osnabrück”, which is why “someone from Osnabrück cannot be completely impartial about this history”. He was referring to referee Heft, who, according to the DFB, lives around 30 kilometers from Osnabrück.
“Suggesting that the referee cannot be neutral because of his origin or place of residence is a no-go,” said Kircher. “There is absolutely no doubt about Florian Heft’s impartiality – neither in this game nor in principle.” Heft is “an experienced second division referee who has proven his quality in over 90 appearances in this league.”
Kircher criticizes “condescending polemics” towards Rafalski
Kircher also described Kwasniok’s criticism of the referee team’s decisions as “completely unjustified”. Kwasniok described the decision not to give a penalty after a duel between Berlin defender Deyovaisio Zeefuik and Paderborn attacker Sven Michel as “brutally flawed”. According to Kircher, however, there was no “clear support worthy of punishment.”
Kwasniok also sarcastically questioned the lack of intervention by VAR Rafalski. “Such condescending polemics are unacceptable and call Katrin Rafalski’s integrity into question. This is not tolerable,” said Kircher.
Ms. Rafalski. We are not in Spain, we are in Germany. Did she take a siesta? She has to help him too. We have to make sure that everyone is on task and not just casually watching the repeat of ‘Lindenstrasse’.
Lukasz Kwasniok
Praise for VAR and understanding for Kwasniok
Kircher defended the work of the video assistant, who supported the referee well and acted correctly in game-relevant situations. “This applies, for example, to Paderborn’s offside goal after seven minutes, in which she rightly intervened, but also the scene with Zeefuik and Michel shortly before the end. Here she correctly confirmed the field decision to let play continue,” said Kircher.
The referee boss understands emotions in the game, but emphasized: “If it is suggested that the referee could possibly be biased and the video assistant is accused of following soap operas instead of the game, that is clearly going too far.”
Our sources:
- Statements by Lukasz Kwasniok on PK and in the WDR interview
- DFB statement
