Jelili Gbadamosi
FIFA has firmly dismissed allegations of external influence on referees following the controversial VAR decisions in Argentina’s dramatic Round of 16 victory over Egypt, insisting that even FIFA President Gianni Infantino has no power over match officials.
FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer, Pierluigi Collina, in an interview published on Thursday, said the integrity and independence of referees remain unquestionable despite the backlash that followed the Argentina-Egypt encounter.
Collina explained that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) correctly intervened to review an earlier incident involving Egypt’s Marwan Attia and Argentina defender Lisandro Martínez, stressing that the Laws of the Game permit officials to examine any foul in the attacking phase that leads to a goal, regardless of when it occurred.
He also defended the decision not to penalise the late challenge involving Mohamed Salah and Julián Álvarez, describing it as “normal football contact.”
The former World Cup final referee lamented that criticism of match officials had escalated into personal attacks and threats against referees and their families, warning that such accusations have no place in football.
Despite the controversy, Collina expressed satisfaction with the standard of officiating at the expanded 48-team World Cup, saying FIFA remains pleased with how VAR has been implemented after 96 matches.
He maintained that while refereeing decisions will always be debated, the integrity of FIFA’s officials should never be called into question.
