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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50960288

Former Premier League referee Bobby Madley has revealed he was sacked after filming a video appearing to mock a disabled person.

 

In a blog post, Madley said he was dismissed in August 2018 for "gross misconduct on grounds of discrimination".

 

At the time, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said he had "decided to relocate due to a change in his personal circumstances".

 

"I'm not proud of myself," Madley said.

 

"I have to live with this for the rest of my life. It destroyed my career, my reputation and caused immeasurable damage to my family life."

 

Madley, 34, said he texted a video to a friend where he mocked a disabled person ahead of his daughter's sports day.

 

He said he had previously joked with other parents about his non-participation in a parents race and had been "fat shamed" in a national newspaper.

 

In the video, Madley mocked that he "had a chance of winning the parents race this year".

 

The video then appears to have been passed on to his employers after he fell out with the recipient.

 

"Out of context I accept this reads shamefully," Madley said in the blog post. "I accept that. However my intention was that the joke was aimed at myself.

 

"I sent it as a private text to somebody who I trusted, somebody who understood the context of previous sports day comments and was aware of the fat shaming I had received.

 

"I regret taking the video, I regret sending that video and whilst it was a dark humoured joke it was just that. A joke. It was not intended to shame anyone, it was not intended to be seen by anyone other than the person I sent it privately to in a text message on my own personal phone (not a work phone)."

 

Madley was one of 18 full-time professional referees and took charge of 91 top-flight matches since 2013.

 

He refereed the 2017 Community Shield at Wembley and oversaw 19 Premier League games in 2017-18.

 

"I started refereeing at 16, my career was over at 32," he said. "I had my dream job, a well-paid and incredibly enjoyable job that I loved every single minute of.

 

"The footballs and medals are now all I have to remember those years of dedication and hard work.

 

"I try to help young referees where possible, offering advice on their own blossoming refereeing careers. I stand proud on there to support the fight against racism and to support all within the LGBT community both inside and outside of football.

 

"I am far from a discriminatory person and yet that is what I am labelled as when you Google my name. That hurts.

 

"The last 18 months have been mental torture for me and but for those close friends and family around me, as well as a strong partner, I dread to think what could have become. "

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It's funny, if he'd been blatantly racist in private I'd probably be thinking "well he's bang to rights". Yet even as the father of a disabled child, getting the sack for a private joke of that nature doesn't sit right with me at all.

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Interesting chap.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Ball

 

A bit more info here:

 

THOMAS EDGAR BALL

 

Played for Aston Villa and was tragically murdered in November 1923 at Perry Barr, Birmingham.

 

Wardley Colliery was noted for,among other things, the number of high class footballers it turned out. No fewer then 7 of them signed as professionals for various first and second division clubs. This was during the late 1920’s and 30’s where work was almost impossible to find and mines were on strike, which was frequently. The lads would be found kicking a ball about all day.

 

Thomas was born and lived at Pump Row, Wardley Colliery. Thomas had a natural skill and before he was 18 was spotted by a scout for Newcastle United, Thomas soon signed professional papers. For some unaccountable reason he never made the first team. But it wasn’t long before he was spotted again by Aston Villa.  Tommy was soon on the move and found temporary lodgings in Perry Barr. It seemed as though everything was working out well for him.

 

His playing attracted the attention of sports writers his future was assured and he was hailed as the best defensive player in the division and was much sought after. Then fate took a hand...

 

On November 10th 1923 Tommy and his wife went out for the evening, returning home at 9.30pm. Mrs Ball went into the house and Tommy took their dog for a walk. Mrs Ball heard raised voices and went to investigate. As she stepped outside a shot was fired and she later claimed to have felt the draft of it.  Another shot followed. She watched helplessly as Tommy fell to the ground. Death was instantaneous. The shots had been fired by their Landlord.

 

George Stagg was a recently retired Birmingham city police officer who had served with the army in France during WW1. Stagg was charged with murder and was convicted at West Bromwich on Feb 11th 1924. Found guilty he was sentenced to death.

 

The Court of Appeal considered his case but on April 18th dismissed Stagg’s last ditched effort to escape the noose.

 

Several reasons have been suggested as Stagg’s motive for murder. One was that Ball was having an affair with Stagg’s wife. That, almost certainly was not true.

 

Another theory says that an argument had developed over some poultry in Stagg’s garden. But the most likely reason is that given Stagg’s medical history he was suffering from some sort of mental aberration.

 

Had the crime happened now, mental instability would have been identified as a prime causal factor.

 

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