Kevin Blom

Who is Kevin Blom?

Bernie Raymond Blom, known as Kevin Blom is a Dutch football referee, who officiates for FIFA and UEFA. He has refereed in the Eerste Divisie, the Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League. His home town is Alphen aan den Rijn.

His first match in professional football was the one between Go Ahead Eagles and Helmond Sport on 17 October 2003. In June 2004 he was promoted to the Dutch referees' A-list, allowing him to be a referee at international matches. He also belongs to the UEFA "elite group", meaning he can officiate Champions League matches.

In 2005 Blom was awarded the "Sportsman of the Year" title by the municipality of Gouda. In 2007 he was awarded the Gouden Kaart, the Dutch prize for best referee of the year.

Blom is a full-time employee of the Royal Dutch Football Association. In addition to his employment as a referee, he works for the Association's referee education department.

In a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match on 3 September 2011, Blom awarded a penalty to the Czech Republic in the dying minutes of a game against Scotland. The penalty was given because of an alleged foul on Jan Rezek, but replays showed the "foul" to be simulation on Rezek's part. The penalty was converted, leveling the score at 2–2. Subsequently, Blom booked Scotland's Christophe Berra when the latter was fouled in the Czech penalty box. The penalty was denied, Blom believing Berra to have dived. The result all but ended Scotland's hopes of qualification. Following this performance, and other performances with controversial incidents or cards in his home league, the Dutch Federation has decided he will not be nominated to represent KNVB as a referee at Euro 2012