THE PBA referee who missed calling a foul on Meralco bruiser Cliff Hodge for the elbow to the face that sidelined San Miguel rookie Kyt Jimenez has been suspended, Commissioner Willie Marcial said on Tuesday.
Kyt Jimenez out indefinitely
The non-call in the play that happened in the third quarter of the Beermen's 93-83 win over the Bolts became all the more controversial after it emerged that Jimenez has suffered a blowout fracture in his eye socket.
The injury will sideline the No. 76 pick of the last PBA Draft indefinitely, according to SMB team manager Gie Abanilla.
According to the league, the referee who had line of sight of the play should've called an offensive foul in the play which, considering the contact, could've been reviewed for possible upgrading to a flagrant foul infraction.
The suspension was the second in as many days announced by the PBA after the entire officiating crew of Sunday's Ginebra-Magnolia contest was sanctioned for failing to call a crucial foul by Mark Barroca on Scottie Thompson late in the Hotshots' 93-91 victory.
Six PBA refs banned
In all, six PBA referees are now suspended counting one more who was sanctioned for calling a foul that gave NLEX import Thomas Robinson free throws in the Road Warriors' 113-112 loss to Terrafirma last weekend.
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