Mike Dean faces the storm: he responds to the scandal that rocked the Premier League

What did he say?

Former English referee Mike Dean has sparked a storm of controversy after revealing that he played private "games" while officiating Premier League matches. He challenged himself not to blow the whistle for as long as possible, or to stay inside the centre circle, admissions that raised sharp questions about the professionalism and integrity of refereeing.

Speaking on the programme of former star Jamie Vardy, Dean said he treated these challenges as a kind of joke. In some matches, before the introduction of Video Assistant Referee technology, he managed to go 20 to 25 minutes without blowing his whistle. On another occasion, he tried to remain inside the centre circle for around 15 minutes.

The statements provoked widespread criticism. Turning Premier League matches into a space for such personal challenges, critics argued, raises question marks over the nature of refereeing decisions, especially as Dean officiated hundreds of matches in the competition throughout his career.

As the anger escalated, the former referee moved to clarify his position through his social media accounts, insisting his statements were not intended to diminish the integrity of English refereeing or to cast doubt on his colleagues.

Dean said: "During 25 years as a professional referee, I always applied the laws of the game to the best of my ability." He explained that his approach relied on letting play continue as much as possible, while he preferred to apply a high threshold on physical contact, as long as it did not require refereeing intervention.

Fouls that demanded intervention were dealt with in the correct manner, he added, stressing: "It was not my intention to diminish the integrity of refereeing in my country, and I have always respected the profession and the responsibility that comes with being a referee."

Dean retired from refereeing in 2022, after officiating more than 550 matches in the Premier League across a career that spanned more than two decades.