Aussies take charge of Olympics final

A-League referee of the year Chris Beath will be in charge of Saturday’s Tokyo Olympics men’s football final between Spain and Brazil.

And aiding the 36-year-old whistleblower will be fellow Queenslander Anton Shchetinin and Victorian George Lakrindis, who have been appointed as the decider’s two assistant referees.

Beath has been on FIFA’s international referees list since 2011 and was in control of three matches at the 2019 Asian Cup.

He has also refereed the past two A-League grand finals.

“It’s a really privileged position I find myself in being able to referee at the highest level in Australia and also internationally,” Beath told News Corp in 2015.

“It’s a job that takes the right person to do it, but I wouldn’t swap it for the world. We have an absolute blast out there.”

Referee Chris Beath shows a yellow card to France’s Clement Michelin in a Tokyo Olympics football group match. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

Beath, Shchetinin and Lakrindis have also combined to control two other matches during the current Olympics tournament – a group clash between Mexico and France and the quarter-final battle involving Brazil and Egypt.

Retired Australian great Mark Shield, who officiated at 2002 and 2006 World Cups, said the final appointments of Beath, Shchetinin and Lakrindis proved Australian referees “can mix it with the very best around the world”.

“What a fantastic appointment for Chris, Anton and George! So much hard work goes in over many many years to achieve something like this!!!,” Shield tweeted.

Football Australia also praised the trio via social media.

“Congratulations to our Australian match officials who have been selected to referee the #Tokyo2020 Gold Medal Men’s Match! Wishing all the best to Chris, Anton & George,” FA tweeted.

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