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Referee disallows goal after watching replay on spectator’s phone

The video assistant referee (VAR) system is not in operation in the country’s second-tier games.

• March 19, 2023
Referee Mohamed Farouk
Referee Mohamed Farouk

A referee ruled out a late goal after using a mobile phone to review an incident during a second division match in Egypt on Friday.

With the video assistant referee (VAR) system not in operation in second-tier games, referee Mohamed Farouk had to use the phone of a spectator.

Al-Nasr had thought during their match against hosts Suez that they had scored a late equaliser, but the hosts protested that a handball offence had been committed.

After a long time spent reviewing the video on the phone, the referee decided to rule out the goal.

Fifteen minutes of stoppage time were added and Suez went ahead to win the game 3-1.

The referee left the pitch under police protection, amid protests from Al-Nasr players and officials, who threatened to take legal action against the referee for “violating the regulations”.

(Reuters/NAN)

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