For 30 years, Ben Dreith has gone nose to nose with angry coaches. Now he`s angry at the National Football League, claiming age discrimination was the reason he was demoted.
Dreith, at 65 the league`s oldest official, said his demotion is
”constructed termination.”
”They constructed this to make me quit,” Dreith said of his reassignment from referee to line judge. ”They set me up. They said, `He will not take that demotion.` And I`m not gonna let `em do it.”
Dreith, who lives in Englewood, Colo., has officiated more than 500 NFL games in his 30 years with the league, the last 25 years as a referee.
The league had no comment of Dreith`s remarks.
Dreith filed a complaint last March with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The complaint stems from supervisor Art McNally`s decision to demote Dreith after the 1989 season. McNally cited Dreith`s low ratings, but noted in a letter to Dreith that age also was a factor.
Dreith says that`s age discrimination, and he says if the EEOC doesn`t give him satisfaction, he will take his case to court.
