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Referees banned for officiating match while drunk

Pilny was staggering from the first whistle. Photo: Getty

Pilny was staggering from the first whistle. Photo: Getty

There’s only one round remaining in the Czech Republic’s top football league but it appears that two referees were a little pre-mature in their end-of-season celebrations.

Thursday morning (AEST)’s match between Pribram and the famed Slavia Prague was overshadowed by ridiculous scenes that have seen two referees banned from officiating indefinitely.

The two men in question, fourth official Marek Pilny and additional assistant referee Jiri Jech, were slapped with the penalty by the Czech football association for being intoxicated during the fixture – which Sparta won 3-1.

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Jech did a decent job of disguising his state until he allegedly started urinating behind one of the goals during the game.

But it was Pilny who ensured he’ll feature on blooper reels for years to come with a staggeringly bad performance as assistant referee.

Watch footage of Pilny below

He was dressed in all the right gear but looked far from professional as he began stumbling down the touchline as early as the second minute.

Pilny then, bizarrely, began shadowing a linesman and running up and down the touchline.

Pilny was staggering from the first whistle. Photo: Getty

Pilny was staggering from the first whistle. Photo: Getty

It was a situation that was destined for disaster and he fell at least twice, first face-planting and then slipping.

He didn’t last long, taken off the ground in the seventh minute.

Pliny was then seen getting a stern talking to in the eighth minute, at which point the scores remained locked at 0-0.

He was ‘guarded’ for the rest of the first half, before slinking down the tunnel and not re-appearing.

‘They don’t exist for us any more’

The Czech football association (FACR) were swift in their response, issuing Pilny and Jech with disciplinary action and stripping them of their licences.

An official statement from the association pulled no punches.

“Pliny was visibly drunk from the beginning of the game,” it read.

“He struggled for balance by the touchline. He fell. At times, he ran with the linesman copying his movements.

“After 10 minutes he had to be guarded by a bodyguard.

“And at halftime, Pilny left for the changing rooms and never came back.”

Of Jech’s conduct, the statement said he was “also under the influence of alcohol and allegedly even peed during the game.”

And they aren’t the only two set for punishment.

The match referee, Emanuel Marek, has also been suspended for his failure to prevent the situation.

Law 6 in FIFA’s Rules of the Game states that: “Match officials operate under the direction of the referee.

“In the event of undue interference or improper conduct, the referee will relieve them of their duties and make a report to the appropriate authorities.”

Miroslav Pelta, the head of the Czech FA, slammed the conduct of Pilny and Jech.

“They were not tipsy, they were drunk,” he said.

“They don’t exist for us any more.”

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