Algerian Football Federation FAF has published a long article on their official website detailing all that happened concerning Algeria vs Cameroon match which has been buzzing football fans for some time now, This article is a complete translation of the article from the Algerian Football Federation website.
Note: Its is just translated using google translate and the translation might not be perfect
In order to enlighten sporting opinion, in general, and the supporters of the national team in particular, and to put an end to speculation, some of which has gone beyond the purely sporting and regulatory framework, about the claim relating At the arbitration of the match Algeria – Cameroon of March 29, 2022, counting for the play-off of the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup – Qatar 2022, the Algerian Football Federation wishes to provide the following clarifications:
• The day after this match, i.e. Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the Algerian Football Federation submitted a complaint file to the FIFA General Secretariat regarding the refereeing of this match, accompanied by a letter under the reference number (N°442/SG/FAF/2022).
• Following this request, FIFA seized the FAF through an email dated Tuesday, April 5, 2022 bearing reference (N°FDD-10810) indicating that the complaint lodged by the FAF has been submitted to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee whose review has been scheduled for April 21, 2022.
It is useful to specify that through this missive, FIFA did not mean that it was going to render a verdict on this date, as has been conveyed by certain media.
• Previously, on Monday April 4, 2022, the FAF had again contacted FIFA by email (Ref. N°452/SG/FAF/2022) to introduce an expertise from a specialized agency reputed to have collaborated with this same body, but also the IOC, UEFA and the Council of Europe, whose conclusion qualified the refereeing of this match as suspicious and this, on a scale of assessment of three levels (Normal refereeing, suspect refereeing and refereeing unnatural).
Here is the conclusion text of the expertise:
The technical and scientific evaluations provided in the experts’ reports, these show that the refereeing of the match of 29/03/2022 between Algeria and Cameroon, counting for the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar -2022, is suspicious.
The imbalance (100% vs 0%) between the two teams for IRD (incorrect decisions by the referee) and the total number of high IRDs (3) which directly influenced the result are both much higher than the usual standards of professional football matches.
The penalty validated which was not whistled (Algeria), the goal invalidated accepted (Cameroon) and the goal validated canceled (Algeria) significantly influenced the match to the advantage of Cameroon.
All IRDs can be scientifically explained in the Level 3 report based on video analysis.
Additional investigations would be necessary to indicate whether this match was intentionally manipulated or not at the level of arbitration.
April 1, 2022
• Contrary to what has been reported here and there, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has never rejected the complaint filed by the Algerian Football Federation, for the simple reason that the latter once again seized FIFA dated Sunday April 10, 2022 (Ref. N°476/SG/FAF/2022) to request that the complaint file be reassigned to the Referees Commission of this same body.
As a result, FIFA informed on Monday, April 11, 2022 (email bearing Ref. No. FDD-10810) the Algerian Football Federation that on behalf of the Chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, that this procedure is by therefore closed.
• On Friday 6 May 2022, the Algerian Football Federation received an email from the FIFA Referees Committee (Ref. plc/mbu/grp) signed by Mr. M. Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of this Committee, and Massimo Busacca , Director of Arbitration, who, unfortunately, does not respond in any way to the requests made in the complaint file.
Again, and contrary to the false information peddled by certain parties, this email does not contain several pages and even less answers and explanations about the points raised in the complaint.
Here is, on an exceptional basis and for greater transparency, the email from FIFA (CLIC), which explains, moreover, the content of the FAF press release published on the evening of Friday May 6, 2022.
• Considering that the complaint file is heavy and significant through the attached videos and above all the expertise of a specialized agency, the Algerian Football Federation reiterated its request to the FIFA Referees Committee on Saturday May 7, 2022 by email (Ref. N°557/SG/FAF/2022) for clarifications, in particular with regard to:
• The refereeing of the match, which was not mentioned at any time in FIFA’s response, while the FAF’s complaint refers to situations deemed contentious and for which the federal body would have liked clear and precise answers .
Also, the FIFA Referees Committee does not mention whether the chief referee correctly applied the Laws of the Game and complied with the video assistance protocol for refereeing outlined in the same email.
• The conclusions of the examination, of all the “incidents”, carried out by the two VAR referees, in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the video assistance protocol for arbitration.
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• Access to the audio communications recorded between the referee in charge and the other referees (assistants and those of the VAR) remained without follow-up.
In addition, and to be complete on this file, the FAF also wishes to inform that:
• The referee’s match report does not include any particular remark, apart from the word in English “Good” qualifying the state of the pitch and the facilities.
• The Match Commissioner’s report contains, among other things, the following assessments:
• General organization: Good organization.
• State of the land and facilities: Excellent.
• Security Services: Excellent.
• Policing: Excellent.
• Medical Services: Excellent.
• Organization of the media: Good organization.
• Incidents caused by players or officials: two minutes delay caused by Cameroonian players at the start of the match.
• Incidents caused by supporters: Throwing of bottles by the Algerian public after verification of the VAR. Smoke by the Algerian public after verification of the VAR.
• Incidents before or after the match: Bottle throwing by the Algerian public at the end of the match.
The throwing of projectiles earned the Algerian Football Federation a sanction from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the form of a financial fine of 3,000 Swiss Francs.
This sanction has nothing to do with the processing of the complaint file, as some parties have tried to have it admitted, confusing two completely different aspects.
Conclusion :
From the foregoing, the Algerian Football Federation has made it a duty and a principle to seize FIFA, to shed full light on what it considers to be suspicious arbitration on the part of the referee of this match and its impact on its outcome.
The federal authority is still awaiting a clear and objective response to this claim.
Beyond the facts of the game, the errors that may arise and be committed by the referees and the players, likely to influence the course and/or the result of a match, the Algerian Football Federation has, in its regulatory and benevolent approach, mentioned neither the adversary nor any other party, except for the arbitration component.
Apart from the technical elements in its possession and which it has introduced, including videos and the expert report, the Algerian Football Federation has never received the slightest document or any other material proof (under any support) from a third party in order to include it in their complaint file.
Acting within the strict regulatory framework conferred on it by the FIFA Laws of the Game and the usual procedures, the Algerian Football Federation is at no time responsible for statements and/or publications made by third parties.
All these parties who have expressed themselves on this file take full responsibility for their statements, publications and rantings.
However, the Algerian Football Federation pays a vibrant tribute to all those, among the supporters of the Greens, who have expressed their support and have shown a positive and responsible attitude to defend the merits of this complaint file which, whatever Whatever the outcome, deserved to be officially introduced so that such refereeing abuses are repressed and banned forever from the continental football landscape.
Read: Algeria – Cameroon: FIFA sanctions the Algerian Football Federation