A referee cupped his ear in response to fans taunting his performance during the latter stages of Sunday's Coupe de France clash between Stade Poitevin and RC Lens.
Jerome Miguelgorry officiated last weekend's round of 16 game at the Stade Michel-Amand and well, it didn't take him long to make a controversial decision against the home side.
Just moments after Ignatius Ganago opened the scoring for visitors Lens, the 45-year-old referee produced a straight red card to César Neto for a high foot on Corentin Jean; a decision that was labelled more clumsy than ill-intentioned by French outlet RMC Sport.
⏱️▶️ #SPFCRCL : (0-1)
— Stade Poitevin FC (@StadePoitevinFC) December 19, 2021
Mi-temps dans ce 32-ème de finale de 𝐂𝐃𝐅 !
Nos 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓𝖘 sont menés et réduits à 10 après l'expulsion de César Neto 😥
Mais l'écart n'est pas si grand sur le terrain, et tout peut encore arriver, surtout avec ce magnifique public 💪🔥! pic.twitter.com/NMxSx8oxNf
Despite being a man down, Stade Poitevin had numerous chances to stay in the tie but they couldn't equalise and frustrations boiled over in added time when Miguelgorry awarded the away side with a controversial free-kick.
As you can see in the footage below, the French official responded to taunts from the crowd by cupping his ear to those firing abuse from the stands - a gesture rarely seen in football, if ever.
Journalist Mickaël Nys posted footage of the incident alongside the caption: "A referee who chambers the public after "f*****d referee". I had never seen this in my life."
Un arbitre qui chambre le public après des "Arbitre enculé". Je n'avais jamais vu ça de ma vie. #SPFRCL #RCLens pic.twitter.com/uUcungERQQ
— Mickaël Nys (@MickaelNys) December 19, 2021
RC Lens went on to secure a place in the next round of the Coupe de France thanks to Ganago's goal in the first-half but it was Miguelgorry and his ear-cupping antics that grabbed the headlines.
Referee at Poitiers vs Lens in the Coupe de France today not bothered by supporters booing him. (France 3/@MickaelNys) pic.twitter.com/BcO84eDOqr
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) December 19, 2021
Bjr @FFF, se faire traiter d’"enculé" semble poser problème à l’arbitre #JeromeMiguelgorry, il a bien raison. Zéro réaction face à l’#homophobie lors de #SPFCRCL? Et le respect des arbitres?@RoxaMaracineanu @ArbitresSAFE @UnafArbitres @ArbitrezVous @francetvsport @csaudiovisuel pic.twitter.com/ilZaNJhmQR
— Rouge Direct (@RougeDirect) December 19, 2021
Il nous fait quoi Jérôme Miguelgorry ? #SPFRCL #RCLens pic.twitter.com/ngTVFvL0KS
— Mickaël Nys (@MickaelNys) December 19, 2021
Most officials will experience taunting from a crowd during their career. In fact, Premier League referee Mike Dean confessed to singing "the referee's a w***er" while watching his beloved Tranmere Rovers.
The 53-year-old appeared as a guest on Peter Crouch's podcast last year and opened up about life in the top flight.
When asked if he sings "the referee's a w***er" at games, he responded: "I have a few times, yeah. When I'm watching it, I'm watching it as a supporter.
"My daughter is worse than me. I'm a massive fan yeah... massive. I just lost it to be fair, completely lost it.
"When I go and watch them away from home I won't sit in the main stand away from them, I'll go in with the speccys (spectators) and watch it there."
Tranmere Rovers fan and referee Mike Dean can’t quite believe his eyes.pic.twitter.com/Ol90qjqatx
— The Football League Paper (@TheLeaguePaper) May 25, 2019
Thoughts on the Coupe de France incident?
Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: @MickaelNys/Twitter
Topics: Football, Ligue 1, France
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