Tom Henning Øvrebø(born 26 June 1966) is aNorwegianformerfootballrefereewho has officiated matches in theUEFA Cupand theUEFA Champions League.He's been elected inUEFA's top category of Elite Referee. He is known for refreeing in multiple controversial matches including the2008–09 UEFA Champions Leaguesemifinal betweenChelsea FCandFC Barcelonawhich was later dubbed asthe scandal ofStamford Bridge.[1]Øvrebø has worked outside football as a qualifiedpsychologist.[2]
| Full name | Tom Henning Øvrebø | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
26 June 1966 Oslo,Norway | ||
| Other occupation | Psychologist | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1992–2012 |
 Tippeligaen | Referee | |
| 2013 |
1. divisjon | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1994–2010 | FIFA | Referee | |
Career
editBorn inOslo,Øvrebø refereed over two hundred games in theNorwegian top divisionsince his debut made on 20 September 1992. He represented the Norwegian sports clubNordstrand.In 1994, he became an authorised FIFA referee. He won theKniksen Awardas referee of the year in the Norwegian top League for 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. He refereed theNorwegian Cupfinals of1999(Rosenborg–Brann2-0) and2006(Fredrikstad–Sandefjord3–0).
Controversies
editEuro 2008: Italy
editØvrebø was chosen to referee at theEuro 2008,his first major tournament and the first time he was chosen over fellow countryman and colleagueTerje Hauge.He refereed theGermany–Polandmatch on the opening day of Group B and theItaly–Romaniamatch of Group C that ended in a 1–1 draw. In that game, Italy scored first with aLuca Tonigoal but Øvrebø disallowed it for offside. He subsequently admitted that the decision "was a mistake," after watching the pass to Toni in a TV replay.[3]Despite the draw, Italy advanced to the next stage of the tournament.
2008–09 Champions League: Chelsea-Barcelona
editOn 6 May 2009, Øvrebø officiated in theUEFA Champions League's semi-final second leg betweenChelseaandBarcelona.The game ended in a 1–1 draw and Barcelona advanced to the final onaway goals.[4]At the end of the game, he was verbally abused by several Chelsea players, includingDidier Drogba,José BosingwaandMichael Ballack,after turning down several clearpenaltyappeals by the home team during the match.[5][6]Drogba had to be physically restrained at the end of the match[5]and the Norwegian referee was later escorted out of England by police on account of fears for his safety. He reportedly received a number ofdeath threats,from which Chelsea distanced themselves.[7]Drogba was subsequently banned for three matches and Bosingwa for two. Chelsea were fined £85,000 for improper conduct on the part of their players and fans.[6]
Øvrebø claimed in 2012 that he was still the subject of abuse from Chelsea fans.[8]In 2018, he admitted toMarcathat he made "a series of mistakes" and that he was "not proud" of that performance, which the newspaper presented as "infamous." He claimed that "those mistakes can be committed by [any] referee", and expressed the wish that people will not remember his career "just for that game."[9]
In 2023, French former international refereeTony Chapronreviewed the game, along with Didier Drogba, for theFrenchsports channelCanal+ Sport.[10]Chapron assessed the refereeing in the game as "a disgrace." He considered as its "key moment" thefree-kickgiven by Øvrebø in the first half, instead of a penalty, whenDaniel AlvesfouledFlorent Maloudainside the Barcelona box. Chapron claimed that the referee, having realized he'd made a mistake, "lost his head."[11]
2009–10 Champions League: Fiorentina
editØvrebø had previously come under "strong" criticism when, in February 2010, he'd allowed a goal scored byMiroslav Klosefrom a "clearly"[12]off-sideposition in the final minutes of the gameBayern MunichvsFiorentina,in the2009–10 UEFA Champions League,during the round-of-16. His call sparked anger in Italy,[13][14]after the managers of both teams agreed it was in error.[15]The result advanced Bayern to the next stage.
Øvrebø, the next day, said "I chose to approve the goal" although admitting "it's clear we should have realised it was offside." He initially blamed the "wrong information" coming from the linesman, but ultimately accepted he was responsible.[12]
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification round: Latvia
editIn the group stages ofqualificationfor the2010 World Cup,Øvrebø refereed the gamesArmenia–Turkey,Belgium–Spain,andSlovakia–Czech Republic.On 10 October 2009, Øvrebø refereed theGreece–Latviagame.[16]In that game, on 10 October 2009, Øvrebø awarded a "highly disputed" penalty to the Greek team, at that point trailing 2–1, a decision that helped the Greeks turn the result around and win. After the game, Latvian managerAleksandrs Starkovsstated that "there was clearly no foul" and that he "didn't understand why Øvrebø awarded a penalty."[17]
Later years and retirement
editØvrebø was among the 14 referees short-listed by UEFA for the final stages of the2010 FIFA World CupinSouth Africa,[18]but was eventually not among the 10 referees picked fromEurope,as announced in March 2010.[19]
In May 2010, he resigned from his position as a FIFA Referee and concentrated on officiating in the Norwegian league.[20]After three years, in October 2013, Øvrebø announced his retirement from professional refereeing.[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Waagaard Thomassen, Mari."UEFAs rangering av dommere"[UEFA's ranking of referees] (in Norwegian). Archived fromthe originalon 9 January 2010.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Kinsella, Nizaar (19 February 2018)."Ovrebo: My night of Chelsea-Barcelona hell".Goal.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Igland, Asle (15 June 2008)."Norwegian referee: -I was wrong".TV2.Archived fromthe originalon 19 June 2008.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Nakrani, Sachin (5 April 2012)."Referee from Chelsea's 2009 home tie with Barcelona still given abuse".The Guardian.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^ab"Chelsea Champions League referee Ovrebo smuggled out of Britain".The Guardian.7 May 2009.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^ab"UEFA reduce Didier Drogba's European ban".The Daily Telegraph.15 July 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2017.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Jackson, Jamie (8 May 2009)."Death threats force the referee Tom Henning Ovrebo into hiding".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2013.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^"'I still get abuse from Chelsea fans for the 2009 semi-final against Barcelona' - referee Tom Henning Ovrebo ".Goal.6 April 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 20 June 2012.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Dean, Sam (18 February 2018)."Chelsea-Barca 2009 semi-final ref admits to mistakes but says 'you can't remember my career just for that game'".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 9 July 2018.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^La "F****ing Disgrace" décryptée par Drogba – Chelsea FC vs. Barcelone 2009 – Ligue des Champions,4 February 2023,retrieved23 August2023
- ^"The Chelsea vs Barca refereeing was a disgrace".Sport.6 February 2023.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^ab"Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo Admits 'Unwise' Offside Decision During Bayern Munich - Fiorentina Clash".Goal.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2022.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^"Fiorentina scippata in Baviera. Stampa tedesca: 'Gol scandaloso'"[Fiorentina mugged in Bavaria. German press: 'Scandalous goal'].Televideo Rai(in Italian). 18 February 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 13 March 2023.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Nazione, La (18 February 2010)."Il popolo viola contro la Uefa; Abete telefona a Platini; Ovrebo ammette l'errore"[The viola against Uefa; Abete calls Platini; Ovrebo admits the mistake].La Nazione(in Italian).Archivedfrom the original on 13 March 2023.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Homewood, Brian (18 February 2010)."Bayern sink Fiorentina with controversial goal".Reuters.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Pank, Philip (12 October 2009)."Starkovs: 'Pendeles tur nebija'"[Starkov: 'The pendulum was not there'].Sportacentrs Latvia(in Latvian).Archivedfrom the original on 12 October 2009.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Dylan, Adrian (21 November 2009)."Chelsea's 'worst ever' Referee Pre-selected to Officiate in World Cup Finals".Bleacher Report.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^"List of prospective 2010 FIFA World Cup referees"(PDF).FIFA.October 2008. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 19 April 2009.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^"2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa; Referees with Assistant Referees"(PDF).FIFA.2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 February 2010.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^Johannessen, Sturla (21 May 2010)."Øvrebø gir seg som FIFA-dommer"[Øvrebø resigns as FIFA referee].TV2(in Norwegian).Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^"Øvrebø legger opp som fotballdommer"[Øvrebø gives up football refereeing].Verdens Gang(in Norwegian).Norwegian News Agency.12 October 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 25 December 2013.Retrieved18 March2023.