AFCON 2013: Poor Officiating Rears Its Ugly Head

AFCON 2013: Poor Officiating Rears Its Ugly Head

Football enthusiasts are baffled by questionable calls made by referees at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON, in South Africa, especially in matches involving the Super Eagles

By Chris Onokpegu

The low point of the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON, is the poor handling of some matches by officials. It was widespread in the first round games. Poor officiating reared its ugly head once again in the match between Togo and Tunisia. Togo will never forget the match against Tunisia in a hurry as it almost marred their qualification for their first ever quarter-final.

The tiny West African nation was denied several penalties while their opponents, Tunisia were given two. The North African country could only convert one of the questionable penalties. The match was almost marred with so many caution cards, especially on the part of the Togolese.

That was not all. Bad officiating in the 2013 AFCON was noticed in the opening matches but was obvious in the match between Nigeria and Burkina-Faso when Efe Ambrose was red-carded for a minor offence by the  Algerian referee, who many think is not qualified to handle match of this magnitude. 

An Algeria journalist who works with Al Jazeera TV, a digital sport station, Laraba Mourad alleged that Referee Benouza Mohammed was accused in Algeria of match-fixing and several bad officiating. He said he was surprised to see him officiate at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.

As if that was not enough, the monster reared its ugly head again in the match between Nigeria and the defending champions, the Chipolopolo of Zambia. Zambia were awarded a ‘dubious’ penalty in the 85th minute of the encounter to equalise the match 1-1.

Soccer analysts are dismayed that a referee could award a penalty to Zambia after a healthy contest at the edge of the box between Nigerian midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, and Emmanuel Mayuka of Zambia.

We gathered that the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF filed a complaint to the continent football body, CAF and the 36-year-old Egyptian referee, Ghead Grisha, who officiated the match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chipolopo of Zambia on January 25, has been dismissed from the on-going 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as a result of poor officiating.

Ghead Grisha awarded a controversial penalty to Zambia in the 85th minute which enabled them draw level in the group C match. Grisha awarded the spot kick against Onazi Ogenyi for a supposed foul on Emmanuel Mayuka. However, television replays of the tackle on the stadium scoreboard showed clearly that the offence was clearly outside the box, yet the referee went ahead to award a penalty.

Super Eagles skipper, Joseph Yobo was quoted to have made an appeal to the referees officiating at the ongoing 2013 AFCON tournament to be fair to the teams in the remaining matches. “I don't want to question the decision of the referee but I want to make a passionate appeal to the referees to be fair in their decisions, so that the best team will always win.

“It was bizarre officiating; it was the worst penalty award I have ever seen in my entire football career. Only God knows why they are doing this,” he said.

On his part, Ogenyi Onazi, who allegedly committed the “foul” that led to the penalty kick, said that he was still at a loss over the referee's call.

Our source in South Africa told our correspondent that the officials of the ministry of sports were disturbed by the several wrong calls against the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa, and directed the NFF to write a protest letter to the Confederation of African Football, CAF, complaining about the two referees that handled Nigeria’s matches against Burkina-Faso and Zambia.

“We have written to CAF, for record purpose and not requesting for upturn of the results because we know it is irreversible. They (referees) should be fair to us because the penalty judgment against the team is another wonder made in Africa and it is most unfortunate,” a top member of NFF board told our source on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, CAF President, Isa Hayatou confirmed that the referee has been sent home because of his mishandling of the match between Nigeria and Zambia when he addressed the Nigerian delegation. Hayatou admitted that the penalty call by the referee was wrong. “If there was a foul, it was definitely outside the 18-yard-box, and not a penalty. Referees are not allowed to rewrite the rule of the game.

“After reviewing the action, CAF decided that it was a bad call. Grisha has been sent home. He will have no further action at this Cup of Nations. His decisions did not tally with best practices of the refereeing profession and we would not allow anyone to start rewriting the rules of the game here.”

Soccer pundits believe that one of the things that can make or mar any competition, especially football, is officiating. However, bad officiating has not been noticed for a very long time in the AFCON, though some soccer fans in Nigeria believe that they were robbed in Maroc 1988 in Morocco and Nigeria/Ghana 2000 AFCON jointly hosted by the two West African countries, incidentally the two are against Cameroon in the final.

A goal by Henry Nwosu against Cameroon in the final of Maroc 88’ was ruled offside while the last penalty shoot-out by Victor Ikpeba was said not to have crossed the line and on the two occasions, Cameroon won the AFCON tournaments.

However, observers are worried about the ability of the referees at the ongoing continental tournament in South Africa. Stakeholders, players and fans alike have expressed their bitter resentment for the referees’ actions.

They unanimously agree that punitive measures against erring referees are quite desirable but they insist that concerted efforts should be made to ensure fair play since the results of poorly officiated matches are never reversed.