THE CZECH FOOTBALL Association (FACR) on Thursday banned two referees who appeared drunk on the pitch during a top-flight game between FK Pribram and Slavia Prague the day before.
The FACR said fourth official Marek Pilny and additional assistant referee Jiri Jech would lose their licences and face disciplinary action.
“Pilny was visibly drunk from the beginning of the game,” the association said in a statement. “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 half-time Pilny left for the changing rooms and never came back,” the association said.
It added that additional assistant Jech was “also under the influence of alcohol and allegedly even peed during the game.”
FA head Miroslav Pelta said the game’s referee and two linesmen would be suspended until the end of the season because they failed to prevent the situation.
He showed no mercy for the two, whose staggering and tottering is depicted in videos posted on YouTube.
“They were not tipsy, they were drunk. They don’t exist for us anymore,” said Pelta.
Slavia won the game 3-1, securing fifth spot in the top flight with one game to play, while Pribram go into their last game of the season still threatened by relegation.