"Showered on the question of whether the leftist took money": what is known about the possible failure of Judge Eskov on the lie detector

"Didn't give very truthful answers"

Information that judge Aleksey Eskov did not pass a polygraph test and could be suspended from work for life appeared in the Russian media on August 28. According to them, an additional investigation will soon be conducted on the arbitrator.

Eskov himself said that he "does not have information" about the allegedly failed lie detector test.

“I have only the information that the RFU reported on the website - that I was temporarily suspended. I haven't communicated yet. I can’t comment on anything, I don’t know what I’m talking about. Didn't read anything. Isolated from the flow of information. We will watch the development, ”the judge quoted Metaratings.

In turn, the head of the RFU Referee Committee Ashot Khachaturyants promised to give any comments after the meeting with Eskov. According to the functionary, it will take place next week.

The referee from Moscow had to pass a polygraph test after the first round RPL match between Spartak and Sochi. In that meeting, Eskov helped Vasily Kazartsev at VAR. As a result, two controversial penalties were assigned to the red-and-white goal, and the game ended in a draw (2: 2). After the final whistle, the owner of the capital club Leonid Fedun, dissatisfied with the work of the judges, threatened to withdraw the team from the tournament.

In August, Eskov and Kazartsev successfully passed a polygraph test, as reported by the RFU General Secretary Alexander Alaev.

“The arbitrators have successfully passed the polygraph test following the results of this game. I want to thank them for their cooperation. Despite this, the RFU decided to suspend Kazartsev from work as an arbiter for an indefinite period of time, "Sport-Express quotes Alayev.

However, even then in the Telegram-channel "Mutko against" information appeared that one of the judges "gave not very truthful answers." Allegedly, he had problems after being asked about work on another game.

158 RPL matches and a huge scandal in St. Petersburg

Eskov, 41, is a fairly experienced judge. During his long career, he played 158 RPL matches. Alexey's debut in the Premier League took place back in October 2009.

Also Eskov has repeatedly served the meetings of European cups and fights of national teams. For example, last season he was assigned to two games in the Europa League group stage. And at the beginning of 2018, the Russian was invited to work out the Saudi Arabia championship match between Al-Feiha and Faisali.

At the same time, the scandal that Eskov got into after the match "Spartak" - "Sochi" is not the first for him. So, in 2017, he served Zenit's debut game at a new stadium in St. Petersburg. Petersburgers took Ural and won - 2: 0.

However, the guests were forced to finish the match with eight, as the referee removed three of the team's players from Moscow at once: Eric Bikfalvi, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Roman Yemelyanov.

After the game, the Ural players and coaches criticized the referee. In particular, Pavlyuchenko admitted that what Eskov had done "did not fit in his head."

“I understand that they were opening a new arena, and Zenit should have won, but we have to play fair football. It is difficult to say what influenced the judge, why he behaved this way, "the TASS footballer quotes.

"Apparently, something really serious has happened."

The Russian football community perceived the possible failure of Eskov on a polygraph ambiguously. For example, the former head coach of the Russian national team, and at the moment the deputy of the State Duma Valery Gazzayev, said that judges should not be tested with a lie detector. 

“In this case, we show them distrust. They can make mistakes in the same way as football players. There is an RPL. There is RFU. There is an expert and judicial commission. Each body must issue its own verdict. But when there are so many people working on a match, including referees on VAR, decisions must be error-free and their actions must be consistent. But if you doubt the referee, you shouldn't even let him go to work. Again, judges don't need a polygraph. If we selected 20 people to serve RPL matches, it means that we believe them, it means that they are crystal honest, "Gazzaev said in an interview with RT. 

In turn, the best scorer in the history of “Zenith” Alexander Kerzhakov expressed the hope that what happened could be a lesson for other judges. 

“There is no smoke without fire, but I'm surprised. Apparently, something really serious has happened. If a referee violates the fair-play rules, if he is dishonest, then probably some sanctions should be applied. After all, dishonest football players and coaches are also removed. If there is evidence of Yeskov's guilt, disqualification is one of the punishments that he must incur, ”the ex-striker of the Russian national team noted. 

Finally, Andrei Budogossky, the former head of the RFU refereeing and inspection department, praised Eskov as an exceptionally decent and honest person. 

“I, unfortunately, do not know all the nuances and circumstances of the case. If this is true, then I am sincerely sorry that this happened. I know Eskov very well for many years, even from the time when he studied at our center, and I know him as an exceptionally decent, honest and professional person and teacher. Especially in matters of morality and ethics. I'd like to believe that a technical error was made in the investigation. Anything can be. Therefore, I am very sorry, "Budogossky said. 

The famous sports journalist Vasily Utkin also spoke about the incident. He said that Eskov “showered” on the question “Have you ever taken money from the left?”. At the same time, the blogger also reacted negatively to the practice of polygraph testing of Russian judges. 

“If this is so cool, why, I wonder, is this purely Russian know-how? That is, officially: the problem of our refereeing is not in the quality, so to speak, of whistling, but simply swindlers are full of oil, swindlers, are they swindlers? " - wrote Utkin in his Telegram channel. 

And sports lawyer Mikhail Prokopets called on the RFU to comment on the current situation, since it inflicts damage on Eskov's reputation, and he himself cannot answer publicly. 

“Many questions arise: what is asked on a polygraph, why is Eskov checked, but others are not. Let's then, before the start of the season, make it so that one of the admission criteria for judges will be a polygraph test. Thus, all arbitrators will be on an equal footing. It is clear that in the contracts of judges the polygraph is not provided for, "- quotes the lawyer" R-Sport ".