Johannesburg – World football governing body FIFA have confirmed that they’ve received the official complaint from SAFA regarding the suspected unlawful manipulation of the game by referee Maguette N’Diaye during Bafana Bafana's recent World Cup qualifier against Ghana.
On Sunday night, Bafana’s World Cup qualifying campaign came to an abrupt end after a 1-0 loss away to Ghana, thanks to a penalty from Andre Ayew. But many South Africans were not pleased with N'Diaye's decision to award the 32nd minute spot-kick.
Replays showed that Bafana defender Rushine De Reuck made minimal to no contact against Daniel Amartey. And that's why SAFA, who consulted with an independent expert Andile Ncobo, are convinced that N’Diaye manipulated the outcome.
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The penalty incident, according to SAFA, was one of many wrong decisions that went against the South Africans' way on the night. And that’s why they wrote to FIFA to investigate N’Diaye.
On Wednesday night, a few hours after SAFA held a press briefing to confirm that they’ve lodged an official complaint against the Senegalese whistle blower, FIFA said they’ll have the Disciplinary Committee attend to the matter at least by next Tuesday.
“We refer to the above mentioned matter, and in particular to the protest filed by the South African Football Association on 15 November 2021 in connection with the match Ghana v. South Africa played on 14 November,” FIFA said in an official statement.
“Furthermore, we wish to inform the South African Football Association as well as the Ghana Football Association that the above-mentioned protest will be submitted to a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 23 November 2021.”
FIFA said that the matter will be taken “for consideration and a decision in accordance with art. 14 (9) of the Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022TM, Preliminary Competition as well as arts. 46 and 54 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (will be made).
Meanwhile, the Ghana FA will also be able to provide the FIFA Disciplinary Committee “with any comments it deems appropriate on the aforementioned protest, if any, by 20 November 2021 (this Saturday) at the latest, along with any document deemed necessary”.
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