Arabic version: انتقادات لتحديات مايك دين المصغّرة خلال المباريات

According to BBC News, former Premier League referee Mike Dean said he set himself mini-challenges during matches “as a laugh”, including seeing how long he could go without blowing his whistle.

Speaking on Jamie Vardy’s podcast, Dean said he had gone “20, 25 minutes without blowing a whistle” in Premier League games before VAR. He also said he would try to remain in the centre circle for as long as possible, adding that he once managed about 15 minutes.

Mark Halsey, who refereed in the Premier League from 1999 to 2013, said the comments had damaged the reputation of referees. Halsey said he had never heard of such games and questioned how it would be possible to go five minutes, let alone 20, without awarding a free-kick. He said Dean should identify any matches if the claims were true.

BBC Sport understands refereeing figures consider the claims unfounded and said they would relate to the era before VAR was introduced in 2019, when Pro Ref had different leadership. Dean previously attracted criticism over his role as VAR in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham in August 2022, when he did not send referee Anthony Taylor to the monitor after Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair.

Dean retired from on-field officiating in 2022 and ended his career after the 2022-23 season as a full-time VAR. He began officiating in 1985, reached the Premier League in 2000 and refereed more than 550 Premier League matches, including the 2008 FA Cup final and 2011 League Cup final at Wembley.