Football Australia Supports Iranian-Australian Referee Amidst Asian Cup Fallout

Football Australia has expressed its commitment to providing comprehensive support to Alireza Faghani, an Iranian-Australian referee, and his family, in light of the recent controversy surrounding an Asian Cup match. Faghani, an experienced referee who has officiated multiple men’s World Cup matches, issued a second yellow card to Iraq striker Aymen Hussein for “excessively delaying the restart of the game” during the team’s celebrations for its second goal in the round of 16 match against Jordan. This decision resulted in Hussein’s dismissal and Iraq playing the final 15 minutes of regulation time with only 10 men, leading to Jordan’s victory with two injury-time goals.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) supported Faghani’s decision, stating that Hussein had excessively delayed the game’s restart after scoring the goal. The referee had issued three strong warnings to Hussein during the player’s celebrations before showing him the second yellow card. According to the AFC, Faghani’s decision to issue the second caution was in line with the Laws of the Game.

However, Iraq fans expressed their discontent, pointing out that Faghani did not show any Jordan players a yellow card during their celebrations for the opening goal in the first half. Both teams celebrated their goals by mimicking eating while sitting on the floor, with similar durations for both celebrations. Despite this, Faghani’s decision to dismiss Hussein drew criticism from Hussain Al Khurasani, an Iraqi sports journalist and analyst, who believed a warning would have been more appropriate, considering Hussein had already received a yellow card in the first half.

The controversy surrounding Faghani’s decision has led to an online petition calling for his suspension pending an investigation, which has garnered over 800,000 signatures as of Friday. In response, Football Australia, the country’s official governing body, emphasized the importance of the “safety and wellbeing” of its members and stated that it is collaborating with law enforcement agencies to address the matter.

The AFC also released a separate statement condemning any form of threat, harassment, or disclosure of personal information targeting referees, players, officials, and all stakeholders. The organization reiterated its commitment to promoting fair play and respect within the Asian football community.

Faghani, who migrated to Australia from Iran in 2019 for family reasons, has been described by the AFC as “one of the top referees in the world.” He joined the Australian match officials list in January 2023, as announced by Football Australia.

In conclusion, Football Australia is providing unwavering support to Alireza Faghani and his family amidst the fallout from the Asian Cup match. While the decision to issue a second yellow card to Aymen Hussein has generated controversy, the governing bodies involved are committed to upholding the integrity of the game and ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in football.