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SportsEx ref Dean confesses he shunned VAR call just to save friend...

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Ex ref Dean confesses he shunned VAR call just to save friend from trouble

Former referee Mike Dean has disclosed that he chose not to inform another official about an overlooked incident through the VAR system during a heated Premier League encounter between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur last season. His intention was to spare his colleague from further trouble.

Dean, who currently expresses regret over his choice, served as the Video Assistant Referee in a 2-2 draw held at Stamford Bridge in August of the previous year.

In this match, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero pulled Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair during a corner kick situation.

The foul was not given by on-field referee Anthony Taylor and Spurs scored a late equaliser during the resulting passage of play.

“I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham, which was pathetic from my point of view,” Dean told the Up Front podcast. “It’s one of them were if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony to the screen.

“I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I just didn’t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game.’

“I didn’t want to send him up because he is a friend as well as a referee and I think I didn’t want to send him up because I didn’t want any more grief than he already had.”

Having officiated over 550 matches in the top football league and transitioning to a full-time VAR role in the previous season, Dean faced repercussions for his error during a particular incident. As a consequence, he was removed from VAR duties for a period of two months.

In July, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) made an announcement stating that Dean would be relinquishing his position and departing from the referees’ organisation.

“That was a major error. If they don’t score from the corner, it is not as big an issue,” Dean said.

“I knew full well I would be stood down the week after. I asked to take a bit of time off because it wasn’t for me.”

The former referee said the VAR role left him “dreading” matchdays.

“I used to get in the car on a Friday and was dreading Saturday. I was thinking, ‘I hope nothing happens,'” he added. “I used to be petrified of sitting in the chair.”

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