Ex-Navy SEAL Republican Dan Crenshaw pops out glass eye and drops into team trophy as a protest over refereeing in congressional soccer match win
- Crenshaw was injured by a bomb blast in Afghanistan more than a decade ago
- He made the bizarre protest over a disputed penalty kick that referees refused to award
- The game took place at MLS team DC United’s Audi Field late on Tuesday
Soccer officials are used to coming under fire from players over their allegedly poor decisions.
But one U.S. lawmaker had his own way of making his feelings known over a disputed penalty kick that was not awarded at the 9th annual Congressional match in Washington, D.C,. on Tuesday.
Dan Crenshaw, who turned out for the Republican team that triumphed 4-2 over the Democrats, removed his glass eye to complain about the standard of refereeing in the game.
‘The refs have two eyeballs, but they don’t use them, so I’m just going to give them one of mine,’ Crenshaw said before it into the winners’ trophy.
Dan Crenshaw made his feeling known about the standard of refereeing at DC United’s Audi Field on Tuesday night
The Texas Congressman, a veteran of the elite Navy Seals force. lost his right eye and sustained damage to his left eye in Afghanistan in 2012 when a bomb exploded.
The 39-year-old went on to serve two more tours after the injury.
He had appeared alongside fellow House members Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and former Minnesota GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen.
The Congressman usually wears an eye patch over his glass eye when appearing in the House of Representatives
Valadao also complained that the referees failed to award a goal that he said had crossed the line.
Lining up for the Democrats were Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).
Hosted by the U.S. Soccer Federation, this year’s game took place at D.C. United’s Audi Field, the MLS soccer team coached by England legend Wayne Rooney.
Last year, it was the Democrats who romped to victory over their GOP rivals, beating the Republican team 5-3.
It’s a big week in congressional sports as the annual Congressional Baseball Game is set to be held Wednesday evening.
