Chelsea Champions League referee Ovrebo smuggled out of Britain

Chelsea Champions League referee Ovrebo smuggled out of Britain

The Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo was understood to have been smuggled out of the country by police today after receiving a number of death threats. Ovrebo has become the target of a hate campaign after failing to award Chelsea a series of penalty appeals during their Champions League semi-final defeat against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge last night. After the game, Ovrebo was barracked by the Chelsea players, including Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack, and he was escorted to the tunnel by Chelsea stewards.
Police were said to be so concerned about his safety that they changed his hotel before organising his secret exit from Britain. Police in Ovrebo's home city of Oslo said they were investigating threats made on the internet. An Oslo police spokesman said: "We are watching closely what is being posted on the internet. Anything we believe would threaten his personal safety will be taken seriously."
Former international referee Graham Poll said today: "This morning he's being smuggled out of our country under police escort – this is a referee of a football match. That is a disgrace. When he booked into a hotel they had to change the hotel he was staying at because of the fear that maybe fans would find him."
Uefa will wait for reports from the referee and match delegate before deciding whether to charge any of the Chelsea players. A Uefa spokesman said: "We will see the report from the referee and match delegate before deciding whether to take any action or not ... we never comment on the performance of the referee."
After Chelsea's fourth appeal for a penalty was turned down, Ballack chased Ovrebo for 40 yards, shouting in his face and at one point appearing to touch him on the shoulder before being booked. Drogba, who had been substituted in the second half, came out from the tunnel after the final whistle to angrily confront the ref as he left the field.