Our quintessential dichotomy Jim, appears to be that I would have the people charged with establishing & upholding the law, held to a higher standard. On the basis that - although they are still subject to the same laws as everyone else - the consequences of a breach by them is potentially more serious.
To illustrate, remember Dominic Cummings...? We can agree or disagree about his actions during the first lockdown & the related media coverage. We can agree or disagree about whether they undermined the message his employers were promoting. But it is unquestionably true, that he undermined his own personal status & authority.
And in the final analysis, the crucial factor that separates referees from players, fans, media, management & staff on a matchday, IS their status & authority...!
The issue as I see it was not that he was held to higher or lower standards. It was more that he could abuse his position so he was not held to any standards at all. That is transgression which should be punished to a much greater degree than the original breach.
Stretching your anolgy (possibly beyond breaking point)if a referee should be held to higher standards than the players shouldn't the players be held to a higher standard than the fans?
Both of our philosophies break down in the muddy middle. You will call me out asking if a government transport minister should be sacked for getting caught doing 80mph then should a lollipop lady? I would retort that if a transport minister should be sacked then shouldn't a local Councillor on a transport sub Committee do so and exactly who decides where the line is drawn ?
Justice wears a blindfold but maybe sometimes she should take a peek.
As a little sportsman's side bet. What are the chances of Alan Judge getting a yellow the next time he complains to the ref? I'll go for 98%
The issue as I see it was not that he was held to higher or lower standards. It was more that he could abuse his position so he was not held to any standards at all. That is transgression which should be punished to a much greater degree than the original breach.
True enough Jim, but my point is that his actions alone had already eroded the authority of his position ahead of any whitewash. He and his chums could no longer wag their fingers at the great British public and lecture us on our responsibilities, without looking like hypocrites.
I know things have changed over the years in terms of player/referee attitudes, bookings for fouls etc, but I wonder what would happen if there was a repeat of the incident in the 1962 European Cup final between Real Madrid and Benfica. In that game the Dutch ref threw his whistle at Real player and Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas and hit him in the ear! Puskas subsequently threw the whistle into the crowd. The ref was subsequently asked why he hadn't booked Puskas for doing this and had to admit that he threw the whistle first. :-)
What is going on in this game ! Last I was aware swearing at the ref and calling him a cheat (let alone any reference to being challenged in the hair dept) was a guaranteed early bath !
Maybe DD did not keep his cool and straight red him.