Full force: Assistant referee Sian Massey feels the
power of Cardiff City player Kevin McNaughton's shoulder as she is
hurled out of his way
Kevin McNaughton stops the ball from going over the
line, just where Sian Massey was standing
She is flung along the pitch a couple of metres by the
force of the 'collision'
Massey is flung to the ground but McNaughton runs off
without as much as an apology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HYHiy0hWAw&feature=player_embedded
Deliberate or Not?
Sian Massey was caught
in a fresh storm after fury erupted online over Cardiff defender
Kevin McNaughton's alleged deliberate shove on the female
official.
The assistant referee, who
earlier this season was at the centre of the sexism row that saw
shamed duo Richard Keys and Andy Gray sacked by Sky Sports, was
knocked to the ground by McNaughton without apology during the
second-half of Cardiff's costly 3-0 home defeat to
Middlesbrough.
The result saw Dave Jones' men
hand automatic promotion to rivals Norwich, who secured their
return to the Premier League later that evening with a 1-0 win at
Portsmouth.
But fans who watched Monday's
game on Sky were enraged after it appeared that Massey had been
'violently knocked to the ground' by the 28-year-old Cardiff player
who was blocked in a run by Boro's Rhys Williams.
McNaughton is seen running to
keep the ball in play when appears to steer, drop his shoulder and
hurl himself into Massey, who was hit with such force that her head
snaps back and she is flung across the pitch.
Some viewers have demanded
that he should say sorry for his actions. However his agent has
said he does not need to apologise for anything.
Fortunately, 25-year-old
Massey took the event in good humour and was seen smiling as she
got back up off the ground.
The crowd cheered as she falls
to the ground but, keeping her composure and professionalism, she
gets back up and even gives a goal kick before having a chuckle
with referee Graham Scott.
Some fans have speculated on
YouTube that the actions appear to be deliberate.
One user said: 'He changes
direction. It's deliberate and disgusting. The fact that he just
trots off makes it more obvious.'
Another said: 'He makes the
challenge on the Boro player and then deliberately side steps and
increases his speed into the path of Sian Massey before using his
body weight to barge her over.
'She's lucky not to have any
broken bones.'
She sees the funny side of the incident, however,
and shares a chuckle with referee Graham Scott
The incident happened
on Monday afternoon when Cardiff was beaten 3-0 at home to
Middlesbrough.
A club spokesman said: 'Kevin
didn't do it on purpose - he was trying to get the
ball.'
John Viola, McNaughton's
agent, said: 'He’s been around for a long time and there is no way
he would do something like that.
'He would never, ever
intentionally collide with a match official.'
The referee was brought to the nation's attention after
sexist remarks by Andy Gray, left, and Richard Keys