FIFA has suspended Egypt coach Hossam Hassan for three matches and forward Mostafa Zico for five after disciplinary action over their criticism of the referee following Egypt’s 3-2 World Cup defeat by Argentina.
Hassan, 60, was punished after blaming refereeing errors for Egypt’s elimination in the last 16. Zico was sanctioned for insulting the referee during a post-match interview.
Egypt’s national team director Ibrahim Hassan, Hossam’s twin brother, has also been given a three-match suspension.
“The decisions include the suspension of Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan for three matches each, while Zico has been suspended for five matches,” the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said in a statement.
The EFA said it had asked FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee to provide the detailed grounds for the decisions. It will then assess its legal options and decide whether to appeal.
Zico had a goal ruled out after a foul was judged to have occurred during the build-up. Egypt’s players also appealed for a penalty late in the match, when the score was 2-2.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended the officials’ decisions and warned that allegations about refereeing could lead to threats against referees and their families.
The suspensions are likely to affect Egypt’s upcoming matches against Malawi in the next rounds of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying in November. Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan could also miss Egypt’s first match during the March international window.
Zico’s five-match ban means he will be unavailable until June.
