FA takes no action against linesman who handed out elbow

No further action will be taken against linesman Constantine Hatzidakis following an incident with Liverpool player Andy Robertson. This has been announced by the FA, the English Football Association.

Hatzidakis was discredited because at halftime of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal, it looked very much like the assistant referee gave an elbow strike to Robertson after he shouted something in his direction. Robertson was hit on the chin in the process.

Watch footage of the elbow strike – or not – here:

The FA decided to indefinitely exclude the flagger from matches, while referees’ council PGMOL launched an investigation into his conduct on the field. That has now been completed and exonerates Hatzidakis.

“I fully assisted the FA with the investigation and discussed the matter directly with Andy Robertson during an open and positive conversation,” the assistant referee said. “It was certainly not my intention to make contact with Andy when I pulled my arm away from him. I also apologized for that.”