VAR blunder ref Lee Mason QUITS PGMOL after 15 years following Arsenal vs Brentford controversy
VAR blunder referee Lee Mason has departed the PGMOL after his Arsenal vs Brentford cock-up at the weekend.
The Mancunian is leaving the officials’ organisation by “mutual consent” – after refs’ chief Howard Webb apologised for his mistake and Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta vented his fury.
Mason, 51, missed an offside in the build up to Brentford’s leveller in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
As a result he was stood down from games for this weekend.
But now he’s left the refs’ organisation entirely after 15 years.
Having retired from on-pitch officiating in the Premier League at the end of 2020-21, Mason only worked on VAR.
A statement from the body read: “PGMOL can confirm that Video Assistant Referee Lee Mason has departed the organisation by mutual consent.
“Lee was a Premier League referee for 15 years and oversaw 287 top-flight matches during that time, with his last coming during the closing stages of the 2021/22 season. His full career in the professional game saw the 51-year-old officiate in over 500 fixtures after he progressed to the Football League in 1998.
“We would like to thank Lee for his dedicated service to the professional game and wish him all the best for the future.”
His exit follows huge controversy at the weekend.
He supposedly forgot to draw the lines to see whether Christian Norgaard was offside as he was looking at another incident ahead of Ivan Toney’s 74th minute equaliser.
The PGMOL wrote to Arsenal to apologise, blaming human error.
And their technical director Howard Webb called an emergency meeting with all officials.
Angry Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta responded: “We ended the game with a huge anger and disappointment because that wasn’t a human error, that was not understanding your job and that is not acceptable.
“That cost Arsenal two points and that’s not going to be restored.”