ATLANTA: The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said on Wednesday it “cannot remain silent” after what it believes was unfair and one-sided judging in Egypt’s 3-2 loss in the round of 16 against Argentina on Tuesday.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and some players criticized the referee after being left in disbelief after Argentina scored three unanswered goals in 13 minutes to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history.
“The protection of the rights and interests of the Egyptian national is not an issue that can be ignored, minimized or treated as secondary,” EFA said in a statement. “It is a responsibility that we carry with complete conviction and determination.”
FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, in a statement released later on Wednesday, said that while constructive discussion about decisions would always be part of football, “baseless accusations have no place in our sport”.
“No one can question the integrity of FIFA World Cup match officials,” he said. “When that happens, it can provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families. That’s not right.”
The EFA said the referee failed to properly use the video assistant referee (VAR) system, leading to the loss to Argentina.
