But the players remained unrepentant today and blamed woman referee Wendy Toms – an FA Carling Premiership official – for their disgraceful behaviour.Rhodes football team manager George Bosganas said: ‘She did not do her job properly and was responsible for ruining the game.’Rhodes was only awarded the 2007 Island Games on Tuesday afternoon, hours before the shameful match kicked-off.
But the Greek island wasted no time in taking action over its team’s behaviour and has now kicked the football side out of the rest of the tournament.Taking action that pre-empted sanctions issued later by the Games authorities, the Greek island banned the players and issued an apology.’We would like to express our deepest regret for the events that took place.
We feel the need to apologise and express our sorrow for the behaviour of the coach as well as the crude and unacceptable reaction of some of the players,’ said a statement from the Rhodes IGA.Calls were made for the decision to award Rhodes the 2007 Games to be reversed in favour of the Isle of Wight.
