Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
This referee has received a lifetime ban from a top-flight league after he awarded four penalties in a single match.
Moroccan football referee Hicham Tiazi, 44, received the lifetime ban from top-flight Moroccan league Botola Pro 1 after awarding four controversial penalties in Olympique Khouribga’s 4-1 victory over Youssoufia Berrechid.
The news of the permanent suspension came from a statement released by the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) several days after the match which said Tiazi “gave a poor performance” and committed “grave errors that affected the result of the match.”
The match which prompted Tiazi’s lifetime ban took place on Saturday 21st December in which all four penalties were awarded between the 11th and 52nd minutes of the match.
The first penalty was in favour of Youssoufia Berrechid which gave them their only goal of the match.
The subsequent three were all in favour of Olympique Khouribga in the 26th, 45th and 52nd minutes before they scored their final goal in the 55th sealing the 4-1 final result.
One of the more controversial penalties came in the 26th minute for a supposed handball by Youssoufia Berrechid midfielder Abdelkhalek Ait Ourehbi, 25.
Another came in the 52nd minute for a supposed foul by Youssoufia Berrechid goalkeeper Houssine Chadli, 28.
It is unclear if Tiazi intends to continue to work in football.
The victory helped Olympique Khouribga move to 11th position on the table with 10 points while Youssoufia Berrechid are 15th with eight.
The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.