Former FIFA referee Erich Linemayr, one of the best referees of Austrian football history, died at the age of 83, announced ÖFB. Linemayr refereed at the FIFA World Cup finals in Germany 1974 and Argentina 1978, the 1980 European Championship in Italy, UEFA Cup finals 1973 and 1977, European Cup final 1979.
In 1974, he led the legendary "water fight" between Germany and Poland, in Frankfurt’s Waldstadion. The game decided the finalists, as both teams had won their first matches in the second round. A downpour had flooded with water the pitch before kick-off, but the schedule of the tournament did not provide for the possibility of a change. The field was almost not playable, but Linemayr had to start the match. Large pools of water affected the technically superior style of Poland and Germany won 1-0. Excessive rain seemed to be a bit of fate for Linemayr. In 1973, he had to cancel the first leg of the final of the UEFA Cup between Liverpool and Mönchengladbach. In Anfield the water was standing ankle-deep.
The most bizarre moment in the career of Linemayr occurred on 21 November 1973. On that day it was scheduled the second leg of the World Cup qualifier between Chile and the USSR in Santiago de Chile. However, political reasons did not allow the Soviet team to show up. So, the eleven Chilean players found alone on the nearly empty stadium. Linemayr blew the first whistle, a Chilean put the ball into the goal and then Linemayr ended the game. Chile went to the World Cup.
Linemayr started refereeing in 1963 and became a FIFA referee after only 3 years (1966). During his career, Linemayr refereed 52 European Cup matches, including three finals, and a total of 30 international A matches. In 1981, he had to end his career on grounds of age, but Linemayr continued for years as a referee observer, including at the UEFA level.
Source: Der Standard