FAF, Led by Visionary President Sadi, Vigorously Protests Unfair Refereeing in AFCON, Calls on CAF for Accountability
BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algeria, January 21, 2024 – The Algerian national football (FAF) team found itself at the center of a refereeing controversy during its recent match against Burkina Faso in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Despite securing a thrilling last-minute draw, the Desert Foxes were left aggrieved by a blatant display of unfair officiating that could have significantly altered the outcome of the match.
In a dramatic turn of events, video footage revealed three potential penalty incidents that went unnoticed by the match officials. The first occurred in the 11th minute when Burkina Faso’s defender appeared to foul Algeria’s striker Baghdad Bounedjah inside the penalty area. Despite clear contact, referee Tom Abou Nijile chose not to consult the VAR system to verify the incident. Another contentious moment arose in the 57th minute when a shot by Algeria’s Mohamed Amine Amoura struck the hand of a Burkina Faso player, yet the referee again refrained from utilizing VAR to make a conclusive decision.
The Algerian Football Federation (FAF), led by its proactive president Walid Sadi, has taken a strong stance against recurring refereeing injustices affecting the national team. The FAF lodged an official complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), condemning the refereeing errors that unfolded in the Algeria-Burkina Faso encounter. The FAF expressed dismay over the appointment of the same match official who oversaw the opening match against Angola, raising legitimate concerns about the suitability of such appointments and the failure to address controversial incidents during the game.
In an official statement, the FAF stated, “While acknowledging the efforts made to enhance the organization of this continental event, the Algerian Football Federation regrets the observed deficiencies. We fail to understand the rationale behind appointing the same VAR referee as in the first match, especially considering the contentious decisions that went unnoticed during the game, such as the incidents in the 10th and 57th minutes.”
The complaint submitted by the FAF is based on verifiable facts, and it urges the responsible officials to respond to these issues. The FAF hopes that their intervention will lead to an improvement in the overall standard of refereeing, aligning it with the high stakes and prestige of the continental competition.
As Algeria navigates through the early stages of AFCON 2024, the national team and its supporters await a response from CAF, anticipating a resolution that ensures fairness, transparency, and accountability in the refereeing decisions that impact the tournament’s outcomes.
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