Poll sent home
28 Jun 2006 - 18:36:42
Controversial English referee Graham Poll has been sent home from the World Cup following his handling of the Croatia against Australia game last Thursday.
Poll is one of 14 referees who are leaving Germany after his blunder when he booked Croatia's Josip Simunic three times in the 2-2 draw.
Russian official Valentin Ivanov, who showed four red and 16 yellow cards in Portugal's 1-0 win against Holland on Sunday, will also take no further part in the tournament.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted that some of the officials have performed poorly in the last three weeks.
He said: "I've noted that instructions aren't being followed consistently from one match to another.
"When a coach complains to me that shirt-pulling earned his player a yellow card one night and nothing for his team's group rivals the next, how am I supposed to respond?
"And then there are the tackles from behind I've seen go unpunished and the violent conduct that has escaped sanction, not to mention the serious errors made in applying the rules."
Blatter had said after Portugal's game with Holland that Ivanov should have been yellow carded himself because of his performance.