Palestine robbed by FIFA? It files an official complaint
Palestine had set itself a huge goal: to secure its first ever World Cup appearance. While it needed to win against Oman to formalize its participation, the Palestinians conceded a converted penalty in the 95th minute, allowing Oman to equalize right at the end of the game. A draw that prevents Palestine from competing in the World Cup. But it has no intention of stopping there.
Iranian referee Mooud Bonyadifard's decision to award a penalty to Oman after Ahmed Taha's foul in the penalty area has been met with outrage, deeming it scandalous. In response, the Palestinian Football Association filed a formal complaint with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, denouncing " a decision that fails to meet any professional refereeing standards and is manifestly unfair ." It is calling for a full investigation into this decision and, more broadly, into the refereeing conditions of the match.
Palestine is justifying a complaint that aims to " ensure sporting fairness and justice in international competitions ," especially in a context as important as World Cup qualification. Palestine has been on the rise in recent years. While it has never managed to qualify for a World Cup, it reached the round of 16 of the 2023 Asian Cup, its best performance in history. Ranked 177th in the FIFA rankings in 2010, it is now ranked 101st.
L'Internaute
