This off-duty referee and dad just wanted to get a better view of his son in his high school football playoff game so he put on his uniform and stood on the sidelines but parents of the other team were not having it!
Nazarene Academy and then-undefeated Simeon Charter Academy faced off for the quarterfinals of the playoffs recently, so one Nazarene player’s dad wanted to show up in style.
Richard Mercardo was on the sidelines for the game and was there when Nazarene defeated Simeon, and that is where the controversy lies!
Parents felt Mercardo’s presence in his referee uniform swayed the game and affected the outcome so they decided to take it up with the Illinois High School Association in the form of a lawsuit!
Marcardo admitted he helped officials make calls but said he did not try to sway the game’s outcome.
Lucky for him and for Nazarene, the IHSA ruled there was “no interference” and everyone can move on with their lives.
Seems as though the parents from these schools should face off in a game for the “Helicopter Parent Quarterfinals.”
Source: Chicago CBS
