The use of masks during Liga 1 games is a position that has been widely debated in different levels of national football. National referee Víctor Hugo Carrillo spoke about its use in RPP Noticias and stated that a referee cannot officiate a match with their face covered.
"No, definitely not possible. If it is uncomfortable for a player, it is equally uncomfortable for a referee, especially when it comes to breathing. Just walking with one is uncomfortable, so imagine doing all the activities like running and jogging. It would be very uncomfortable. The worst part is that when we have to stop the game for a foul or resume it, we won't be able to, as we would have to lower the mask to blow the whistle and then put it back on," he said.
Carrillo also addressed the use of gloves during a football match.
"Performing as a referee with gloves is more manageable. When I have had to go to La Paz or Cusco, I have officiated with gloves because the fingers freeze. We can even coordinate with the assistant referees to help us with noting down incidents," he added.
Contact with the Players
One of the most common situations that occurs in a football match is a player protesting or complaining to a referee. For Carrillo, this is a situation that should be reduced, and he explained it by recalling an anecdote.
"In a match in Cusco, Cienciano vs. San Martín, in 2005, I had to send off Edwin Pérez. I approached him closely and he hugged me, questioning how I could send him off. It was an atypical situation that made headlines around the world because it is very rare to see a player hugging a referee. In this current situation, a similar action should be avoided," he mentioned, and added that, for him, the most important thing is to test everyone involved in the return of football. "It is something that, according to the information I received, will happen," he said.
His Preparation During This Quarantine
The FIFA referee also talked about the routine of work he has been doing from home during this confinement.
"Since the quarantine started, we have been in contact with the refereeing department of CONAR. First, to report on our health status. Then, to discuss how we were working at home. After that, they provided us with the technical and physical training that we do with our instructor Ana Pérez and the fitness trainer Cristian Medina, who is in charge of that area. They monitor us digitally two or three times a week," he added.
Víctor Hugo Carrillo became a FIFA referee in 2005. Internationally, he was named as a reserve referee in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and officiated the final of the 2016 Recopa Sudamericana.