Thomas Balvay Thomas Balvay Thomas Balvay (2 February 1888 – 15 July 1945) was a football referee in the 1920s and 1930s and one of four European referees who participated in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay. He was the only match official from France at the tournament. He had been an international referee since 1922 and twice refereed the Coupe de France (in 1926 and 1928). He travelled to Uruguay on the SS "Conte Verde", which also took Jules Rimet and the French, Belgian, Romanian and Brazilian teams to the first World Cup; picking up the teams en
Theft of the Jules Rimet Trophy as evidence until 18 April. They returned it to the FA before the opening of the tournament. Pickles briefly became a celebrity, and appeared on TV and in some movies. David Corbett attended the players' celebration dinner after the World Cup Final, and later received rewards totaling £6,000. The Football Association made a replica of the trophy for public celebrations. Edward Betchley was convicted of demanding money with menaces with intent to steal, and received concurrent sentences of two years. He died of emphysema in 1969. In 1970, Brazil received the Jules Rimet Trophy in perpetuity after winning the World