PGMOL rubbishes ex-referee Mark Halsey's claim he was put under pressure to lie

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has rubbished former Premier League referee Mark Halsey's claim he was told to to lie after a game. The 55-year-old said on Twitter that he was previously told by the PGMOL to say he had not seen a particular incident, when he had.

Halsey's remarks came after Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero received a retrospective three-game ban for violent conduct. However, the PGMOL has since refuted the ex-referee's accusation.

"There is no pressure to include or omit anything," a statement explained. "Match officials submit their reports, including critical incidents, directly to the FA. Match officials ensure that their reports are a full and accurate description of the incident."

Earlier, Halsey – who retired in 2013 – said on Twitter that he had "seen an incident and been told to say I haven't seen it". He said, too, that these were issues he had previously mentioned in his autobiography, which was released three years ago.

Later, Halsey added: "To be fair to the FA… it's not them, it comes from within the PGMOL." His remarks prompted Gary Neville, the former Manchester United and England defender, to say that Halsey's claims were "too big" to avoid a full investigation.

Aguero, meanwhile, was banned by a Football Association panel for elbowing West Ham United defender Winston Reid. The contentious incident was missed by referee Andre Marriner during the game, which allowed the FA to take retrospective action.