Ian Holloway says he hopes Brexit will go ahead as he blames the EU for a controversial new handball rule in Premier League football.
The former QPR boss left audiences confused as he told Sky Sports’ The Debate on Tuesday night that he thinks the European Union should stop “telling us what we do with our game”.
His angry comments came in response to Manchester City’s injury-time goal against Tottenham being ruled out on Saturday.
If allowed, it would have won City the game 3-2, but a video assistant referee (VAR) ruled that the ball had brushed the hand of City defender Aymeric Laporte before reaching striker Gabriel Jesus.
The comments came in response to Manchester’s City’s disallowed goal on Saturday
The new rule stipulates that any contact between a player’s hand or arm with the ball must be disciplined, even if it was an accident.
But while this new rule has been controversial – in part due to the added implementation of VAR – it has nothing to do with the EU, nor Brexit.
It was introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a global institution, and implemented by the Premier League at the beginning of June.
This did not stop Holloway, who said he believed the rule and the use of VAR should be scrapped, adding: “I hope we get out, Brexit, because that’s what we all voted for.
“And sort that out because you cannot have someone telling us how to do our own game.”
The 56-year-old’s comments have since ridiculed on social media, with some labelling him a “moron” and “unreal”.
Twitter user James Melville joked: “Let’s leave FIFA/UEFA and play football under [World Trade Organisation] rules”.
Another said the comments were “comical on a million levels”, while one pointed out that the IFAB is comprised of football associations from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and FIFA.
He wrote: “Think the UK is fairly well represented there Ian!”
