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Young footballer with Tourette's Owen Thompson banned for swearing at the ref

Yahoo!7 November 16, 2012, 9:46 am

A 14-year-old footballer who suffers from Tourette's syndrome has been barred for playing because he swore at the referee.

Owen Thompson was handed a two-match ban and forced to pay £25 for using offensive language, The Sun reported.

The young goalkeeper reportedly told the offical to "f*** off" after a goal was controversially awarded against his team.

Owen's mother, Melanie Burgess, slammed the decision to suspend her son as “ridiculous”.

“After the game the referee went over to Owen’s manager. He showed the referee the medical card that shows Owen has Tourette’s syndrome," she said.

“But last week we learnt he has been given a two-match ban and a £25 fine. It’s ridiculous.

“Football is a really important part of his life.”

The boy's club, Ware Youth, paid £10 to appeal the decision, but it was still upheld by the Hertfordshire FA.

The boss of the local FA said it was a lack of respect, not the swearing, which led to the ban.

“The player swore at the referee twice and then walked away and refused to talk to the referee when asked to explain his actions," Hertfordshire FA chief executive Nick Perchard said.

“The committee decided that the lack of respect shown to the match official was not connected to his medical condition."

However, in a minor victory, Owen's suspension was reduced to one match and his fine down to £10.

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21 Comments

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marco bonsaiz anythin02:09pm Friday 16th November 2012 ESTReport Abuse
Let's start recording sporting matches and check what's being said in lang's besides English--- I couldn't count the number of times I've heard a'di fiq and butana and things like come out of non white's mouths at local shops, bank, anywhere in fact.
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marco bonsaiz anythin01:48pm Friday 16th November 2012 ESTReport Abuse
gee- Lucky he is white- couldn't penalise any other race for anything like that.
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Amilia12:28pm Friday 16th November 2012 ESTReport Abuse
tell the ref to get the #$%$ over it is football and he is a teenage boy tourettes or no tourettes. yes it probably could have gone unsaid but since when did he become his parent. leave the disciplining up to the parents. Grow some balls and let the kid play the game he enjoys. As if he doesn't have enough challenges in life.
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Scott12:15pm Friday 16th November 2012 ESTReport Abuse
Hiya I have Tourettes. If this kid is shouting profanities randomly and uncontrollably, he has Coprolalia, NOT Tourettes. They share possible comordity, but are separate disorders. Just letting you know. Can i sue this Journalist 25 pounds for public defemation?
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Olly12:11pm Friday 16th November 2012 ESTReport Abuse
Isn't Tourettes an involuntary action? Didn't sound too involuntary to me, sounds like it was well directed for a specific reason.
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