Israel Saria
Kaka controls before scoring Brazil’s opener in the seven-goal thriller
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Fifa has received an official complaint from Egypt over Brazil’s match-winning penalty in their Confederations Cup game on Monday.
Referee Howard Webb is accused of changing his decision after advice from a fourth official who may have seen a TV replay.
Officials are not allowed to use video evidence to aid decisions.
“The matter of the complaint is about the process which led to the decision to award the penalty,” Fifa spokesman Nicolas Maingot said on Tuesday.
Webb appeared to signal for a corner after Egypt’s Ahmed El Mohamady handled on the line.
But after play stopped for treatment to the defender, Webb opted to show a red card and award a penalty, which Brazil duly converted to secure a 4-3 win.
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As far as I am aware there is no rule allowing video evidence
Gharib Chawki
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Samir Zaher, the president of the Egyptian FA, said after the game that he would lodge an appeal with organisers.
“We will not protest against the penalty being awarded because that was the right decision, but the referee did not give the decision immediately – he gave a corner,” said Zaher.
“Then he waited two or three minutes and showed the red card and awarded the penalty.”
Egypt assistant coach Gharib Chawki also alleged that the manner in which the penalty was awarded was improper.
“As far as I am aware there is no rule allowing video evidence,” he said.
“We’re not contesting the referee’s decision but the way it was made. Or maybe the rules have changed and nobody has told us.”
“The decision was changed after a statement by the fourth official, after watching the monitor, that it should be a penalty.”
Egypt’s complaints were given added weight by admissions from some Brazilian players that they believed Webb had been swayed by advice from Australian Matthew Breeze on the touchline.
“The referee didn’t see the penalty and the linesman didn’t see it either. It looks like the fourth official told him over the radio,” said striker Luis Fabiano.
The controversy echoes the sending-off of France’s Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
It has been alleged, although subsequently denied by Fifa, that Horacio Elizondo was advised to dismiss the three-time world player of the year for a head-butt only after one of his assistants viewed the incident on a pitchside monitor.
Fifa has consistently chosen extra manpower rather than technology to help referees and matches in next season’s Europa League will see two extra officials stationed behind the goals to monitor penalty-area incidents.
Replays have been employed with some success in tennis, rugby union, rugby league and cricket.
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