Mohamed Farouk, an Egyptian referee has been suspended indefinitely by the Egyptian Football Association after he reportedly disallowed a late goal after he looked at the footage on a fan’s phone.
Daily Mail reports that Farouk charge of an Egyptian Second Division match between Al-Nasr and Suez on Friday. In the absence of VAR, the referee used an alternative system to get a second look at a late goal.
With the home side Suez 2-1 up heading into the closing minutes, Al Nasr equalized to earn an away point.
But after the goal was contested by home supporters, Farouk was invited to use a fan’s phone to watch a replay of the goal, before canceling it for handball to deny the visitors a vital point away from home on Friday.
Consequently, Farouk has been punished, with the head of the Egyptian Referees Committee, ERC, Vitor Pereira suspending the referee and his entire matchday staff for ‘an indefinite period’.
Pereira took after former veteran Premier League official Mark Clattenburg in the position with the ERC earlier in March.
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Farouk’s suspension was confirmed by the FA saying, “The committee decided to investigate the incident when Mohamed Farouk, the referee of the match, used a mobile phone to review footage of the match’s events.”
As the goal – which at first appeared to be a bundled header off an in-swinging free-kick – went in, home fans appeared to enter the pitch in outrage, demanding the goal be ruled out for handball.
Chaos then ensued with members of both teams circling the referee as others entered the pitch, before the refereeing team appeared to consult the footage on the touchlines inside a protective ring formed by stadium staff.
And as a result of the contentious decision to overturn the goal, Farouk reportedly left the field under police escort, according to the BBC, with Al-Nasr staff allegedly threatening legal action against Farouk for violating regulations.
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