Former Premier League Referee Mike Dean Responds to 'Not Blowing the Whistle' Controversy

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean recently faced criticism after discussing on a podcast that he had played certain 'games' while officiating. He later said he had no intention of 'damaging the integrity of English refereeing.'

The 58-year-old Dean revealed on this week's episode of the Jamie Vardy's Party podcast that he had entertained himself with a series of 'games' while refereeing in the past, including trying to go as long as possible without blowing the whistle. He said: "We used to say, 'Right, kick-off, let's see how long we can go without blowing the whistle.' Before the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) era, I did it several times in the Premier League. Twenty to 25 minutes without blowing the whistle, several times — just let it go, let it go, let it go." He also mentioned another 'game': "In the Premier League, I would stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay there before leaving. That was just me having a laugh."

The comments drew criticism. Dean responded with a statement on Instagram on Friday, insisting that he would blow for fouls promptly when necessary and that he "respected the responsibility that comes with being a referee." In his statement, he wrote: "Throughout my 25-year professional refereeing career, I always did my best to apply the laws of the game. My approach as a referee was always to keep the game flowing and to allow the high-contact tolerance that players enjoy where possible. But if I saw a foul that required me to take appropriate action, I would make the decision from the correct position."

"Never intended to damage refereeing integrity"

Dean further emphasized in his statement: "I never intended to question, criticize or damage the integrity of refereeing in this country. I have always respected the profession and the responsibility that comes with being a referee."

Dean officiated 553 Premier League matches between 2000 and 2022 and was one of the most well-known referees in English football.