Source Aljajeera
ATLANTA — FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has strongly hit back at claims of bias and corruption following Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) launched a scathing formal complaint after their heartbreaking exit, demanding an investigation into “double standards” and technical failures regarding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan went as far as to suggest there was systemic pressure on match officials to keep Lionel Messi and the defending champions in the tournament.
However, in an interview published on FIFA’s official platform, Collina adamantly defended the integrity of French referee François Letexier and his officiating crew, insisting they operated with complete independence.
“Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport,” Collina stated. “Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president [Gianni Infantino].”
The Controversies Explained
Egypt had surged into a shocking 2-0 lead before Argentina rallied late in the game, eventually securing a stoppage-time winner courtesy of Enzo Fernández. The EFA’s grievances center primarily around two crucial second-half incidents that altered the trajectory of the match.
IncidentEgypt’s GrievanceFIFA / Collina’s Explanation
Mostafa Zico’s Disallowed GoalEgypt argued a second-half strike to extend or restore their lead was wrongfully chalked off for a “non-existent” foul in the build-up.VAR correctly intervened to spot a foul by Marwan Attia on Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez. “A foul is a foul… if the referee did not see it on the field of play, the VAR can intervene,” Collina clarified.
Mohamed Salah Penalty/Foul AppealEgypt claims Mohamed Salah was fouled by Julián Álvarez moments before Argentina launched the counterattack for the winning goal.Both the on-field referee and VAR deemed the challenge “normal football contact.” Collina noted that Álvarez touched the ball first before making unavoidable contact.
Danger Beyond the Pitch
Collina warned that the rhetoric coming out of the Egyptian camp was not only incorrect but dangerous, noting that throwing accusations at officials’ honesty could expose them and their families to threats and real-world abuse.
While acknowledging that some elements of football refereeing will always involve subjectivity, the legendary former official concluded that FIFA remains entirely satisfied with how VAR protocols have been applied throughout the tournament.
With the controversy put to bed by FIFA’s hierarchy, Argentina’s tournament march continues as they advance to a quarter-final showdown against Switzerland.
