Soccer-Euro-Respect and consistency are key themes for referees

REGENSDORF, Switzerland, June 5 (Reuters) - The 17th team at Euro 2008 -- the match officials -- will be aiming for consistency in their decision-making above all else, UEFA's head of refereeing Yvan Cornu said on Thursday.

They also want respect from the players and naturally would show respect back, added Cornu when the match officials met the media at a pre-tournament open day at their headquarters just north of Zurich on Thursday.

"The referees and their assistants will strive for consistency. They have been working hard for over a year and in particular for the last three months," he told reporters.

"They have studied video footage of 13 types of incidents that create tension and they know what they will be looking out for in the matches.

"They will not tolerate diving, or simulation and they will not tolerate disrespect.

"At the same time, every competing team has had a meeting with a member of UEFA's referees committee who has told them exactly what will and will not be tolerated by the officials."

STOP GAME

He also stressed that it will be only the referee who decides that the game should be stopped in case of a serious injury.

If players unilaterally stopped the game by putting the ball out of play without the referee's permission, they should not expect to receive a gentle ball back from the opposition when play restarts.

"We want to prevent the type of mass brawl that occurred in the Champions League final when Didier Drogba was sent off, angry that Manchester United were pressurising Chelsea from a re-start.

"The players have all been told that and we don't want it to happen."

Italian Roberto Rosetti will referee the opening match between co-hosts Switzerland and Czech Republic in Group A in Basel on Saturday and he agreed that respect and consistency were vital for the success of the tournament.

That view was shared by his colleagues.

"We have worked very hard as a team of officials to referee to the highest standards and to be as consistent as possible in every match and I am sure that we will. We also want the players to respect our decisions."