A lifetime with a whistle. In the last decade of the last century, Fernando Chapell was one of the most renowned referees in Peru and stood out because he handled well the pressure. Today retired, he is an exquisite anecdote teller, revealing incredible moments with leaders and players.
- Did you protect the players?
- I told ‘Balan’ Gonzales: ‘Play quietly, I’ll take care of you’ and that afternoon he scored a goal.
- Why did you do that?
- He always tried to bring down the good players and I told him not to do what he wants, but to play efficiently.
- Did anyone offer you money to favour a team?
- In 1979, when I was a mathematics teacher at a national school in San Martin de Porres, one of my students' relative was a person who edited sports videos. He came over and handed me an envelope with $6,000. He told me that the engineer, president of a northern club, sent it to me.
- What was your answer?
- That it has to be returned immediately and that I did not need that money.
- Did everything stay there?
- I called the leader and asked him to clarify the situation or I was going to denounce him publicly.
- Do you have more stories like that?
- In 1991, before a match, one of the club leaders approached me, stretched out his hand and handed me a car key, saying "A Mazda of the year awaits you outside" and I replied: "You will not be able to do this with me; I am not selling myself for anything."
- Another one?
- One night, before a classic match, a club leader called me at home and told me: "I can't offer you money, but I'm very sick and would like to leave this world watching my team win."
- It was true?
- I smiled and said: "I don't bog…".
- Did everything stay there?
- Next day, before starting the match, they told me: "Please, have a minute of silence, the leader who was sick died." And do you know what was the worst? That I awarded a penalty kick against his team and they lost…
- How did you motivate your colleagues?
- I called the assistants, asked for a ball and, like the players, we put our hands on each other and shouted: "Three cheers for the national refereeing" and we entered motivated.
- Anything else?
- I dismissed two assistant referees. In Talara and Huanuco. One of them was always from the same city and both were favouring the local clubs. I went over and dismissed them; someone else had to come in to replace them.
- Is it just about delivering justice?
- Referees must be honest and clear. The most valuable thing is feeling respected.
Source: Trome
