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English Referees to Use Rock, Paper, Scissors in Protest of Suspended Official

Referee David McNamara was suspended from England's Women's Super League for three weeks. 

Referee David McNamara was suspended for three weeks by the English Football Association on Tuesday, barred after having Man City and Reading women's team captains play rock, paper, scissors to determine opening posession. The childhood game was a break from the traditional pregame coin toss, and the FA found the violation in the WSL match egregious enough to warrant a suspension. 

Many believe the FA went too far in their ruling per the BBC, and will protest the suspension during matches throughout the United Kingdom this weekend by using rock, paper, scissors instead of a coin toss. 

"The suspended ref has shown initiative and thought quickly on his feet," an anonymous referee told the BBC. "The whole thing is a bit ridiculous and massively out of proportion."

The number of referees protesting is unclear, with an estimate ranging "from dozens to hundreds" across the lower levels of the sport across the nation, per the BBC. 

FA women's refereeing manager Joanna Stimpson spoke on the suspension on Friday, telling The Times, "He should have been more prepared, he should have had a coin. It was disappointing, it's not appropriate, it's very unprofessional."