Washington officials finally disciplined for charity pink whistles

[Renew Deal]

One of the most bizarre high school football stories of the fall season took another twist on Tuesday, as 143 football referees from the Pacific Northwest Football Officials Association were finally disciplined seven months later -- for wearing pink whistles -- by having the majority of playoff games revoked over the next two years by the Washington Officials Association Commissioner. This brings a close to a story that's been going on for months without a resolution.

To get you up to speed, a group of high school football officials in the state of Washington decided to wear pink charity whistles last year to support breast cancer awareness and donate their game checks for the week to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It was a cause that hit home with a number of the referees in the group.

But instead of the idea being welcomed by the Washington Officials Association, the group received the exact opposite response it was hoping for, as the association threatened the group with a two-game ban and the possibility of losing two game checks.

"They chose not to ask for permission, not to go the right route," WOA commissioner Todd Stordahl told KING 5 at the time. "It sends the wrong message to kids that are playing the game. 'If they broke the rules why can't I do the same?'"
<snip>

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Washington-officials-finally-disciplined-for-cha?urn=highschool-wp2178

:banghead: