Colts coach Jones warned
By Colin Thompson
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Ray Jones: Put on probation for one year.
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Devonshire Colts coach Ray Jones, who also serves as Bermuda Football Association (BFA) treasurer, has been placed on probation for one year after calling referee Ronue Cann "worthless" during a November 2 Premier Division clash at St. John's Field.
A BFA disciplinary committee deemed Jones' remarks as inappropriate and slapped the former Colts player with probation.
However, the dedicated yet temperamental coach escaped a more serious charge of bringing the game into disrepute – but must now be on his best behaviour for the next 12 months as local football's governing body intend to clamp down on unruly fans, players and team officials who decide to vent their frustration on match officials.
Referee Cann also accused Jones of threatening to use his authority as a BFA executive to ensure that he had sanctions imposed against him for what he perceived to have been sub-standard officiating during a match Colts lost 3-1 to hosts Dandy Town at the Barn.
"After the match Mr. Jones said I was worthless and said he is going to see to it that I get suspended from refereeing. Mr. Jones' comments were highly inappropriate," said Cann. "After the game he threatened me by saying he is going to see to it that I get suspended – and I don't take threats lightly."
However, Cann's claim that Jones threatened to use his authority as a BFA executive as leverage to have him punished were rejected by the BFA disciplinary committee. Such remarks could have seen Jones charged with bringing the game into disrepute.
Should the coach land himself in further hot water with the BFA, the one-year probation recently imposed against him will immediately come into effect.
Cann, who quit officiating following his run-in with Jones, has since returned.
"I have officially resigned for the rest of the season," he told The Royal Gazette on the night of November 2.
"You can rest assured my official resignation will be going in tomorrow (November 3) because nobody is going to threaten me like that."
BFA general secretary David Sabir said referee abuse, in all its forms, would no longer be tolerated by the association. He also reminded BFA affiliates that failure to comply with mandatory security and safety measures to protect match officials at club venues could result in tough sanctions imposed against them – such as having matches cancelled.
"The point can't be made strong enough that we must adopt a zero tolerance for any negative behaviour directed towards referees," he said.
"This is a cause for great concern to the referees and the association considering the general feeling that times have changed and spectators, players and team officials have become increasingly less tolerant with regards to the role referee plays in the outcome of the game."
Several years ago local football was suspended after referees withdrew their services out of concerns for their safety officiating at club venues.
Last week it emerged that Pembroke Hamilton Club (PHC) president, Chris Furbert, had been summoned to appear before a BFA disciplinary committee to answer charges of making "rude and disrespectful" remarks at veteran referee Anthony Mouchette at a Premier clash last month at Southampton Oval.
