By dixon9
May 8 2009

Contrary to recent media reports, Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo says that he has not gone into hiding and is not under stress. More importantly, the Norwegian was confused over a UEFA denial that they had instructed him not to speak to the press.

According to the British media, Ovrebo had admitted to UEFA officials at Stamford Bridge that he “made some major mistakes in the game.”

Nevertheless, Ovrebo later stated that he  would not speak to the media as UEFA had told him not to do so.  Upon arriving in Norway, he sent a communication in the form of a text message to the Norwegian daily newspaper Dagbladet,:

“Due to the circumstances after the game, UEFA asked us not to comment to the press. Brgds (best regards) Tom Henning.”

The Norwegian NRK radio station has also been in touch with UEFA but they denied that they had gagged Ovrebo and that the fact that the referee hadn’t spoken to the media was his own personal decision - Ovrebo responded with the explanation:

“...If so, we unfortunately must have received two different messages. I will of course talk when I get the same message.”

Despite the confusion, NRK are hopeful that Ovrebo will give them an interview tomorrow.

It appears that the referee is relaxed and refuses to be affected by the controversy and is ready to go back to work next weekend, when he is scheduled to officiate a match between Brann and Start. Ovrebo has already told Norwegian television: “I’m ready for the game next weekend ... I’m not shocked.”

The current reality seems to be very different to the media version of events; the press have used phrases such as “…bundled into the back of a silver Mercedes outside Stamford Bridge,” “…whisked away to a safe-house,” “…expected to spend time on his boat,”  “…made his way to a log cabin miles from anywhere,” “Chelsea blunder ref Ovrebo is smuggled home after death threats,” and “…gone underground in fear of angry Chelsea fans who had sent him death threats on the internet.”

The British police have issued a statement saying that they had had no complaints from either the ref or UEFA regarding death threats as also have the Norwegian police, although they have promised to investigate any seen or received. 

The “death threats” were reported in the British media as being in the form of a Facebook group account created just hours after the match.  Further, Norwegian police have also stated that the squad car outside Ovrebo´s house is not because of concern over death threats but to keep press away from his house.  Just as in the Frisk affair, no actual death threats have been produced to be investigated.

 

Henning Ovrebo and UEFA confusion over their stories

Discussion started by 50 Years Over 100 Years , 08/05/2009 20:42

50 Years Over 100 Years
08/05/2009 20:42

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Farty Foulke
08/05/2009 20:53

Nice work. These death threat allegations are such a pack of lies, intended purely to denigrate Chelsea and us fans.

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Since 66
08/05/2009 21:04

and to divert UEFA's CORRUPTION of Wednesday nites game... but what about 'the serious mistakes I made' remark and let him @#$%& off back to his sub standard league of football.



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kitt
09/05/2009 15:37

Is Chelsea's PR machine the most useless in history? Why aren't they refuting these blatant lies publicly. Oh but I'm sure they're doing sterling work behind the scenes grovelling to uefa etc *despair*

Oh and the press are quite right that the ref had to be bundled away in secrecy and is hiding. What they don't tell you is he's hiding from the fekking British press, not irate Chelsea fans, grrr...

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