FA suspend referee for using rock, paper, scissors to decide Women's Super League kick-off

Referee David McNamara has been banned for three weeks after using a game of rock, paper, scissors instead of the traditional coin toss to decide a kick-off.

Taking charge of the Women's Super League game between Reading and title contenders Manchester City on October 26, McNamara left his coin in the dressing room so improvised.

FA women's refereeing manager Joanna Stimpson said: “The referee forgot his coin and in that moment, in a TV game, he was really pushed for time. It was a moment of madness.

“He obviously thought it was the right thing to do. He probably walked away, or the second afterwards, thought it wasn't the right thing to do.

“It's not defendable. He should have been more prepared. He should have had a coin but he didn't. It was disappointing. It's not appropriate. It’s very unprofessional.

“The laws of the game state you toss a coin. I can't think it's something we are going to ignore. He wasn't taking the mick out of the game - it was just a really poor decision.”

McNamara, who has also refereed in the EFL, will be banned from Monday, November 26 to December 16.

"The FA can confirm that referee David McNamara has been suspended for 21 days, starting from Monday 26 November, after accepting a charge of 'not acting in the best interests of the game'," an FA spokesperson is quoted as saying.

"This follows an incident in the FA WSL match between Manchester City and Reading on Friday 26 October when he failed to determine which team would kick off the match by the toss of a coin, as required by the Laws of the Game."