An Egyptian referee, Mohamed Farouk, has been suspended indefinitely by the country’s football association after allegedly disallowing a goal by consulting footage on a spectator’s phone, the Daily Mail reports. Farouk officiated an Egyptian Second Division match between Al‑Nasr and Suez on Friday. In the absence of VAR, he relied on an alternative method to review a late‑game incident.
Suez were leading 2‑1 when Al‑Nasr scored a dramatic equaliser in the final minutes, earning a point on the road. Following vociferous protests from the home supporters, Farouk was invited to use a fan’s phone to watch a replay of the goal. He then ruled the goal out for handball, denying Al‑Nasr an away point.
As a result of his actions, Farouk and his entire matchday staff have been suspended for an indefinite period. The decision was made by Vitor Pereira, head of the Egyptian Referees Committee, who replaced former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg in the role earlier in March. The Egyptian FA confirmed Pereira’s action, stating that the committee had decided to investigate the incident after Farouk used a mobile phone to review footage of the match.
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