Why did the judge at the World Championship drink cucumber pickle?

According to News.

Context

Felix Zweyer, a 45-year-old referee, has experience working at international tournaments, including world championships. His incident at the USA-Australia match drew attention to the importance of referees' health and the use of unconventional remedies such as cucumber pickle to promote quick recovery. It is important to note that such situations can affect the perception of refereeing in international matches.

Why is this important

The Felix Zweyer incident at the World Championships highlights the importance of referees' health in high temperatures. A referee falling due to cramping can affect the course of a match and its results, especially in a tense match like the game between the USA and Australia. The use of cucumber pickle as a recovery aid also demonstrates how sports professionals are looking for effective ways to maintain the physical condition of judges.

Key takeaways

• Why did the judge at the World Championship drink cucumber pickle?
• Referee Felix Zweier suffered a cramp during the USA-Australia World Cup match and was given a cucumber pickle for quick recovery, highlighting its use in sports for muscle recovery.
• Why was a World Cup referee drinking pickle juice?.

The World Cup match between the USA and Australia ended in a very unusual incident when referee Felix Zweyer fell onto the field due to a cramp in stoppage time. This happened just a few minutes before the end of the match, when the USA was confidently leading 2:0. After showing a yellow card to US national team player Chris Richards, Zweier suddenly fell to the ground and asked for help. However, the attention of the audience was attracted not only by his condition, but also by the remedy that was brought to him for recovery - cucumber pickle, handed over by the fourth judge Kayti Garcia.

Zweier, 45, was cramping in the heat, with temperatures reaching 28°C (82°F) in Seattle, and the match was important as Team USA looked to make the playoffs. After falling to the ground, he was helped by players such as Australian midfielder Aiden O'Neill and US striker Folarin Balogun, who tried to stretch his leg to ease the pain. The fourth judge, Garcia, quickly ran up with a carton of pickle juice, which Zweyer drank and soon returned to judging.

Cucumber pickle is a mixture made from leftover brine from pickled vegetables, supplemented with vitamins and minerals to promote rapid muscle recovery. It is usually bottled in small 75 ml bottles, and experts recommend swishing it in your mouth for 20-30 seconds before spitting it out or swallowing it.In sports, it is believed that under stress, the brain can send excessive signals to the muscles, which causes cramps. Natural electrolytes in the brine, such as sodium and potassium, help disrupt this “neural signal,” triggering a reflex that tells the muscles to stop contracting in less than 60 seconds.

Dr Mayur Ranchordas, senior lecturer in sports nutrition and metabolism at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC in 2023 that pickle juice "will stop cramps 40% faster than water." It also helps increase blood sugar and vitamin C levels in the body at the same time. However, brine cannot be used as a prophylactic agent; it is used only after the onset of cramps to relieve pain. This drink can also help with fatigue, dehydration and poor circulation.

The brine has a high salt and vinegar content, which gives it a sour taste, and it is often mixed with herbs such as dill and garlic. Not everyone may like it: “It’s nasty, but it works,” noted San Francisco 49ers cornerback Eli Apple in 2022. Tennis player Frances Tiafoe also spoke about how pickle juice helped him win the 2019 Australian Open in extreme heat.“I was drinking pickle juice like it was the Kool-Aid, just trying to cope,” he told reporters after a tense win over Grigor Dimitrov.

The use of pickle juice in sports to relieve cramps has been around for decades. NFL teams have had it available to their players for the past ten years. The match between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys in 2000 became known as the "Pickle Game" as the Eagles used it to cope with heat that reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit. England players used the drink during their Euro 2024 campaign in Germany, where they reached the final. Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Italian Jannik Sinner were also seen with pickle juice during the 2025 French Open final, which lasted five hours and 29 minutes, making it the second-longest final in tennis history.

However, brine can be useful not only for athletes. Its ingredients are known for their benefits for stomach health, weight loss and even improved breathing in the long term, while some brands use it in smoothies. A pack of 12 of 75ml costs around £28 ($37). For top athletes it is definitely worth the money.

What happens next

After the incident with Zweier, there will likely be a review of his condition and the recovery methods used by referees during matches. This may lead to stricter guidelines for the training and maintenance of referee fitness, especially in hot conditions. We can also expect discussions on how similar situations can be prevented in the future at the World Cup and other major tournaments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to judge Felix Zweyer at the World Championships?

Referee Felix Zweier collapsed on the field due to a cramp during stoppage time of the match between the USA and Australia.

Who confirmed that Zweier drank cucumber pickle?

Fourth judge Kayti Garcia handed the pickle to Zweyer for restoration.

Why did this happen now?

The incident occurred amid heat, with temperatures in Seattle reaching 28°C, which may have contributed to the seizures.

What changed after Zweier drank the pickle?

After drinking the pickle, Zweier soon returned to refereeing the match.

How does cucumber pickle help with cramps?

Brine contains natural electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, which help prevent cramps by disrupting neural signals to the muscles.

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