Referee swallows flies during match

Things got a bit uncomfortable for the ref during a Sunday soccer match.

Christopher Helgerud required a water break on Sunday. Photo: Maja Christensen

Head referee Christopher Helgerud suddenly blew the whistle during the SF match against Strømmen on Sunday night; not many people understood why.

Then he ran to the SF bench and cried for water.

Flies had flown into his mouth while he was running, and he had to spit them out.

This occurred midway through the second half. He waited until the ball was outside the sidelines before he blew the whistle.

“I got the first fly out, but when it happened again, I had to blow the whistle. It was in my mouth and would not come out,” says Helgerud.

He finally learned to steer clear of the great swarm of oblong, green flies.

“It was a great atmosphere out on there. It’s fun to smile during the game as well. I joked with the players, and Oliver Pipeline especially grinned,” said the referee.

The incident caused laughter even in the stands.

Christopher Helgerud has been a premier league referee since 2000. Only once before has he had to stop a game in this way; because he got dirt in his eye.

“It is fortunately not very often that this happens,” he says, laughing.

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