After Vancouver Canuck Alex Burrows received what he felt were unjust penalty calls in Jan. 11’s 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators, he accused NHL referee Stephane Auger of having a personal vendetta against him. This recent accusation of bias has sparked an investigation by the league. The case against Auger has fans looking closer at his calls, which isn’t necessarily fair. Since the incident, Burrows was fined $2,500 for publically stating bias to the media, and Auger was considered the victim by the league.
How many other plausible cases of bias can be found in professional sport? Many fans can cry bias when their team loses focus and starts to take penalties, which the referee is employed to catch. But when even the home team is shaking their heads at the call against the opponent, you can bet something funny is going on.
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy has seen bias in important games, noting that in these cases, referees call fouls to manipulate end results. In an interview on 60 Minutes, Donaghy revealed that he would bet on games involving Allen Iverson, knowing the referees disliked Iverson and would call fouls on him.
Are the referee’s calls motivated by betting and favouritism? Some calls can easily be thought of this way, although it’s not fair to attack a league and a man’s professionalism based on assumption. Referees don’t have the luxury of seeing every angle of the game like we do at home, as they are only human. But Donaghy does admit to intentionally calling fouls to change the outcome of games, and Burrows holds a strong case against Auger.
As tape from the Vancouver game against Nashville is reviewed, it becomes increasingly clear that Auger may have gotten a little whistle-happy. Burrows showed personal frustration as he logged 16 penalty minutes, translating into eight separate calls. Burrows went on to speak to the media following the game, stating that “Refs like Auger tonight [are] taking it [personally]. [Auger] comes into the game and he knows he’s going to make a call against me and give Nashville an advantage, and I don’t think that’s fair for my teammates or the fans.” Burrows also claims that Auger pulled him aside before the game, allegedly stating that he was going to get even for Burrows’ embellishment of an injury in a previous game.
Ron MacLean, host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, took Auger’s side. A certified referee himself, MacLean feels Burrows was wrong to say anything to the media about the ref, especially accusing him of something as serious as bias. Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault stands behind Burrows, telling the media, “I respect the league’s decision, and I understand their decision to fine him. I do agree that he should have done it another way, but at the end of the day I believe Alex Burrows.” Vigneault went on to say this situation is one where “You can’t win, you can’t even tie.” While the coach and the fans might believe Burrows, the league, most importantly, does not.
Because Burrows was fined for voicing his opinion, there isn’t a lot that athletes can do or say to change referee bias. Professional sport has evolved into a more complex game, which involves dealing with different referees and learning when to hold your tongue. Knowing when to push and when to pull back is another aspect of a player’s game that develops with experience, and is something that Burrows still has to work on. Whether you call it bias or human error, there will always be cause for speculation when all the calls go one way.
