World Cup referee Al-Mirdasi banned for life for match-fixing attempt in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has banned referee Fahad Al-Mirdasi from football for life for a match-fixing attempt, weeks before he was due to fly to Russia to officiate at the 2018 World Cup, said the country's football federation [SAFF] in a statement.

Al-Mirdasi had confessed to offering to fix Saturday's King's Cup final on behalf of the Al Ittihad club, the SAFF said. It added that it had requested FIFA to hand him a lifetime global ban as well as removing him from the World Cup list. The 32-year-old referee made the approach to Al Ittihad chief Hamad Al-Senaie, who immediately handed over the WhatsApp messages to SAFF officials who in turn alerted the relevant government authorities, SAFF said. Al-Mirdasi was taken into police custody where he confessed to soliciting the corrupt payment, the statement from the SAFF Ethics Committee added. 

Al Ittihad played Al Faisaly in the King's Cup final at Jeddah's King Abdullah Sports City on Saturday, winning in extra-time in a game refereed by Mark Clattenburg, who was appointed Head of Refereeing at the SAFF last year, and stepped in to replace Al-Mirdasi on the eve of the game. Al-Mirdasi has been on the FIFA referees list since 2011 and officiated at last year's Confederations Cup in Russia. "FIFA notes the information that referee Fahad Al-Mirdasi has allegedly been banned from all football-related activities by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF)", the world governing body told BBC Sport. 

Source: BBC, The Independent

Serbian referee arrested after penalty howler

Serbian referee Srdjan Obradovic has been arrested and questioned on abuse of power charges after awarding a wrongful penalty kick in Sunday's crucial top division soccer match, the country's interior ministry (MUP) said on Tuesday. 

"Obradovic is suspected of abusing his authority in the match between Spartak Subotica and Radnicki Nis to favour the home team against their rivals", MUP said. "He will be detained for 48 hours and handed over to the prosecutor in charge". Spartak won the match 2-0 to nose ahead of Radnicki into third place and a Europa League qualifying slot ahead of the last round of matches, courtesy of two penalties with the latter leaving viewers and the visitors perplexed. A Radnicki defender deflected an innocuous low cross from the right with his feet making no contact with any of the home players, but Obradovic awarded the spot-kick and gesticulated that the would-be offender had handled the ball. The howler also prompted Serbian FA chief Slavisa Kokeza to ask the soccer authorities to punish Obradovic accordingly and suspend him. 

Serbian media invariably vilified Obradovic after the incident and showed video clips of a long list of his poor decisions in previous matches, notably a Belgrade derby between Serbia's big two Red Star and Partizan in March 2017. Obradovic allowed play to go on after the ball had clearly gone out of play for Red Star's opener in a 1-1 draw, sparking bitter protests from Partizan's officials and supporters. Red Star won a record 28th Serbian league title earlier this month with games to spare ahead of second-placed Partizan, while Spartak and fourth-placed Radnicki, who are three points behind them, are battling it out for a Europa League berth.

Source: New York Times

UEFA U-17 Euro 2018 – Semi-finals

17 May 2018

England – Netherlands
Referee: Horațiu Feșnic (ROU, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Robert Steinacher (AUT)
Assistant Referee 2: Vlad Lifciu (MDA)
Fourth Official: Tihomir Pejin (CRO)
Referee Observer: Vlado Svilokos (CRO)

Italy – Belgium
Referee: Vilhjalmur Thorarinsson (ISL)
Assistant Referee 1: Péter Kóbor (HUN)
Assistant Referee 2: Georgi Doynov (BUL)
Fourth Official: Robert Harvey (IRL)
Referee Observer: Marc Batta (FRA)

CFU Club Championship Final 2018: Aguilar (SLV)

13 May 2018

Atletico Pantoja – Arnett Gardens
Referee: Joel Aguilar (SLV)
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Zumba (SLV)
Assistant Referee 2: Corey Rockwell (USA)
Fourth Official: Jair Marrufo (USA)

OFC Champions League Final 2018 (First Leg)

13 May 2018

Wellington – Lautoka
Referee: Abdelkader Zitouni (TAH, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Tevita Makasini (TGA)
Assistant Referee 2: Bernard Mutukera (SOL)
Fourth Official: Mederic Lacour (NCA)

Copa Libertadores – Group Stage (Matchday 7)

15-17 May 2018

Defensor Sporting – Cerro Porteño
Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Bonfa (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gabriel Chade (ARG)
Fourth Official: Fernando Espinoza (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Claudio Puga (CHI)

Delfin – Atletico Nacional
Referee: Victor Carrillo (PER)
Assistant Referee 1: Jonny Bossio (PER)
Assistant Referee 2: Coty Carrera (PER)
Fourth Official: Joel Alarcon (PER)
Referee Assessor: Sergio Cristiano (BRA)

Monagas – Gremio
Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Gustavo Rossi (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Cristian Navarro (ARG)
Fourth Official: German Delfino (ARG)
Referee Assessor: Jose Buitrago (COL)

Colo Colo – Bolívar
Referee: Sandro Ricci (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Emerson De Carvalho (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcelo Van Gasse (BRA)
Fourth Official: Luiz Oliveira (BRA)
Referee Assessor: Dario Ubriaco (URU)

Boca Juniors – Alianza Lima
Referee: Mario Diaz de Vivar (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Rodney Aquino (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Cañete (PAR)
Fourth Official: Jose Mendez (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Juan Lugones (BOL)

Palmeiras – Junior
Referee: Enrique Caceres (PAR)
Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Cardozo (PAR)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Zorrilla (PAR)
Fourth Official: Arnaldo Samaniego (PAR)
Referee Assessor: Francisco Mondria (CHI)

Flamengo – Emelec
Referee: Diego Haro (PER)
Assistant Referee 1: Raul Lopez (PER)
Assistant Referee 2: Victor Raez (PER)
Fourth Official: Miguel Santivañez (PER)
Referee Assessor: Carlos Torres (PAR)

Libertad – Atletico Tucumán
Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)
Assistant Referee 1: Kleber Gil (BRA)
Assistant Referee 2: Guilherme Camilo (BRA)
Fourth Official: Rodolpho Toski (BRA)
Referee Assessor: Imer Machado (COL)

Peñarol – The Strongest
Referee: Andres Rojas (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Humberto Clavijo (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Wilmar Navarro (COL)
Fourth Official: Nicolas Gallo (COL)
Referee Assessor: Nelson Moncao (BRA)

Millonarios – Independiente
Referee: Roberto Tobar (CHI)
Assistant Referee 1: Claudio Rios (CHI)
Assistant Referee 2: Raul Orellana (CHI)
Fourth Official: Cesar Deischler (CHI)
Referee Assessor: Alberto Tejada (PER)

Deportivo Lara – Corinthians
Referee: Andres Cunha (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Mauricio Espinosa (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Nicolas Taran (URU)
Fourth Official: Esteban Ostojich (URU)
Referee Assessor: Carlos Herrera (ECU)

Saudi Arabia World Cup referee placed under investigation

Fahad Al-Mirdasi's involvement at the World Cup has been thrown into major doubt after he was dramatically stood down from Saturday's King's Cup final and placed under investigation. Saudi's top referee was due to officiate the match at King Abdullah Sports City between Al-Ittihad and Al-Faisaly, but the Saudi Football Federation (SAFF) announced on Friday night that the 32-year-old would no longer be taking charge of the game. "The Saudi Arabian Football Federation, with the blessing of the Saudi Olympic Committee, has decided to remove referee Fahad Al-Mirdasi from refereeing the King's Cup final and to refer him to the General Investigations Bureau," read the SAFF's official Twitter account. "Mark Clattenburg has been appointed to referee the final instead". Al-Mirdasi was also removed from the AFC Champions League match Jeonbuk Motors - Buriram United, where he will be replaced by Nawaf Shukralla.

Al-Mirdasi (photo) is one of three Saudi match officials selected for next summer’s tournament by FIFA, but his participation must now be in some jeopardy. FIFA, who have named 36 referees for the tournament in Russia, are likely to want clarification surrounding the exact reasons for the SAFF's decision to suspend and then place one of Asia's top referees under investigation. Al-Mirdasi was set to become the fourth Saudi referee to officiate at the World Cup, following in the footsteps of Falaj Al-Shannar, Abdulrahman Al-Zeid and Khalil Jalal. Having previously taken charge of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal as well as matches in the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 FIFA Confederation Cup, Al-Mirdasi is one of Asia’s most experienced referees. SAFF President Adel Ezzat said in March that the selection of Al-Mirdasi - along with assistant referees Abdullah Al-Shalawi and Mohammed Al-Abkari - was a proud moment for the Kingdom. “The three officials won FIFA’s trust after officiating at the highest levels of continental and international football,” said Ezzat in a statement published on the SAFF Twitter account. “It is a reward for them to be at the greatest of all football competitions. They deserve congratulations as they have earned their places among the elite of the refereeing world. To have three match officials at the World Cup is a great motivation for us at the SAFF to enhance our work in developing Saudi referees. I wish them success in Russia and we will be looking forward for them to do us proud”. 

Source: Arab News

Frappart looking forward to officiating on home soil

Top French referee Stephanie Frappart is one of the 15 female match officials, who will officiate games at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 in August. She is looking forward to refereeing in her home country and to showing the world how excited France is to celebrate women’s football at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup this year, and of course next year, at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019.

- FIFA.com: Congratulations on your selection for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018. What does it mean for you as a French woman to officiate at FIFA World Cup matches in your home country?

- Stephanie Frappart: I am very proud, of course. I am really looking forward to this competition. It is a big honour to represent France in France. It is a highlight for me. It is great recognition and a token of appreciation for all of the work I have done so far, for the experience I gained over the past years. I am very pleased and I want to thank everyone, who has made this possible.

- France is organising two important women’s competitions. Next year, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be played in France. The U-20 competition in August is a kind of sample for what’s coming up next year, when FIFA’s flagship tournament in women’s football will be played. How are the preparations going so far? 

- The French Football Federation has prepared this tournament very well. It will be a big test for everyone before the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. Everyone is focused and ready. The whole region of Brittany is excited to welcome all of the teams and fans. The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be a great gauge for next year’s competition.

- Considering that the level of the U-20 women is very good, are there opportunities for the match officials to make improvements in their own World Cup preparations?

- Absolutely. It is a great opportunity for us and it is a great opportunity for the players. We both have an important competition, after which all of us can be recommended for the World Cup, if we have good performances. So, there is a lot at stake for all of us.

- You are known for leaving nothing to chance and planning everything down to the last detail. What are your preparations like over the next few days, weeks and months?

- It is actually an ongoing process. The World Cup preparations have not just started. We actually started planning and preparing for France 2019 immediately after the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada. It is more a next, important step towards the next big highlight. It will be an intense, but exciting time. We are challenged and encouraged. It is an important stopover in our World Cup preparations. We still have a lot of work to do and we must keep up the pace. The exchanges with our instructors will be very valuable and also officiating games at a high level is, of course, very important for us.

- What exactly can we look forward to in your country this year and next year? 

- This summer, it’s the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, and next year, it’s the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the best women’s football tournament anywhere! I am sure that both competitions will be a big success for the development of women’s football. This FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 is coming at just the right time for the women’s game in France. Our FA’s development programme is paying off. More and more people are watching women’s football matches on TV, and the French national women’s team play in front of packed stadia. There’s a genuine passion for the game, and it’s growing all the time.

Source: FIFA

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2018

The FIFA Referees Committee has appointed 15 female referees and 30 female assistant referees to officiate at the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018. The selection criteria for the match officials from 21 different countries was based on their experience in their respective association and confederation competitions, as well as their levels of fitness and ability to read the game. Those selected for the tournament in Brittany this summer will also be candidates to officiate at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. The four official host cities for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup France 2018 are located across Brittany: Concarneau (Stade Guy Piriou), Dinan/Léhon (Stade du Clos Gastel in Léhon), Saint-Malo (Stade de Marville) and Vannes (Stade de la Rabine). Vannes will host the opening match of the competition on 5 August, as well as the final on 24 August. (Source: FIFA)

AFC
Referee: Kate Jacewicz (AUS, 1985)
Assistant Referee 1: Renae Coghill (AUS, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Uvena Fernandes (IND, 1981)

Referee: Qin Liang (CHN, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Cui Yongmei (CHN, 1979)
Assistant Referee 2: Fang Yan (CHN, 1979)

Referee: Ri Hyang Ok (PRK, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Hong Kum Nyo (PRK, 1973)
Assistant Referee 2: Kim Kyoung Min (KOR, 1980)

CAF
Referee: Lidya Tafesse Abebe (ETH, 1980)
Assistant Referee 1: Queency Victoire (MRI, 1987)
Assistant Referee 2: Mary Njoroge (KEN, 1985)

Referee: Gladys Lengwe (ZAM, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Bernadettar Kwimbira (MWI, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Lidwine Rakotozafinoro (MAD, 1978)

CONCACAF
Referee: Melissa Borjas (HON, 1986)
Assistant Referee 1: Shirley Perello (HON, 1986)
Assistant Referee 2: Yudilia Briones (MEX, 1986)

Referee: Carol Anne Chenard (CAN, 1977)
Assistant Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt (USA, 1988)
Assistant Referee 2: Chantal Boudreau (CAN, 1989)

CONMEBOL
Referee: Edina Alves (BRA, 1980)
Assistant Referee 1: Neuza Back (BRA, 1984)
Assistant Referee 2: Tatiane Sacilotti (BRA, 1986)

Referee: Claudia Umpierrez (URU, 1983, photo)
Assistant Referee 1: Luciana Mascarana (URU, 1981)
Assistant Referee 2: Monica Amboya (ECU, 1982)

OFC
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (NZL, 1982)
Assistant Referee 1: Lata Kaumatule (TGA, 1985)
Assistant Referee 2: Maria Salamasina (SAM, 1989)

UEFA
Referee: Jana Adamkova (CZE, 1978)
Assistant Referee 1: Sanja Rodjak (CRO, 1983)
Assistant Referee 2: Petruta Iugulescu (ROU, 1979)

Referee: Stephanie Frappart (FRA, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Manuela Nicolosi (FRA, 1980)
Assistant Referee 2: Michelle O’Neill (IRL, 1978)

Referee: Kateryna Monzul (UKR, 1981)
Assistant Referee 1: Maryna Striletska (UKR, 1983)
Assistant Referee 1: Sian Massey (ENG, 1985)

Referee: Esther Staubli (SUI, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Belinda Pierre (SUI, 1987)
Assistant Referee 2: Susanne Kung (SUI, 1988)

Referee: Bibiana Steinhaus (GER, 1979)
Assistant Referee 1: Katrin Rafalski (GER, 1982)
Assistant Referee 2: Chrysoula Kourompylia (GRE, 1977)

VAR failed during A-League Final

A “technical failure” with the video assistant referee (VAR) stopped the controversial technology from disallowing the goal that decided Saturday night’s A-League grand final. A review by Football Federation Australia has found the VAR on duty, Craig Zetter, did not have access to the camera angles required to catch a blatant offside in the process of Kosta Barbarouses’s 9-minute goal that gave Melbourne Victory their 1-0 win over Newcastle to claim the championship.

Social media went into meltdown when replays showed James Donachie had drifted the wrong side of the last Jets player, with Johnny Warren medallist Adrian Mierzejewski and former Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe leading the outrage. The assistant referee never raised his flag but it is understood some members of the Victory coaching staff hesitated before celebrating because they believed Donachie was offside on their first viewing. A-League chief Greg O’Rourke issued a statement on Sunday morning to reveal Hawkeye had a “malfunction of software” that meant the VAR system was partially lost 30 seconds before Victory’s goal. It was not restored until “some minutes” after the goal at which point O’Rourke said it was too late to overturn the goal. “We are extremely disappointed at this failure of the VAR technology and we understand the disappointment and frustration of the Newcastle Jets, their fans and indeed all football fans,” O’Rourke said. “VAR was introduced here and in other parts of the world as a technology-based solution to correct the human errors that inevitably are made from time to time when officials are making judgments in split seconds. On this occasion the technology itself failed and the broadcast angles required were unavailable. We are working with Hawkeye to thoroughly understand why it did and what can be done to prevent this happening again. Whilst we understand that this happened only once this season it was at a most critical time. All parties desire the technology to be failure proof and that is what we will be striving for.” After the match Jets coach Ernie Merrick made it clear he didn’t agree with the decision that stood. “It looked to me like there were three players offside,” he said. “I don’t want to be a sore loser but if that goal was offside I just wonder what the point of the VAR is.” Victory coach Kevin Muscat said: “I reckon there’s been a few technical glitches throughout the season. “Three weeks ago, when we played Adelaide, their goal was offside and the VAR didn’t have the correct footage. When we sent them our footage they acknowledged that it was offside. I don’t want to rub people’s noses in it. What I am saying is that we’ve got to allow more resources to give these guys all the correct software and technology that they need.” The incident comes as a warning of the system’s fallibility before next month’s World Cup in Russia, where it be used at football’s showpiece tournament for the first time.

Source: The Guardian