AIFF Demands Investigation into Controversial Qatar Goal in World Cup Qualifier

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has demanded an investigation into the controversial goal awarded to Qatar in their crucial World Cup qualifying match in Doha. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey expressed outrage over the incident, calling for "addressing the injustice."

The incident occurred in the 73rd minute of the match, when Abdullah Alahrak's free-kick saw Yousef Ayem attempt a header. India's goalkeeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, saved the shot, but the ball rolled over the line. However, instead of awarding a corner kick, South Korean referee Kim Woo-Sung allowed Hashmi Hussein to kick the ball back into play, resulting in Aymen slotting it into the net.

Chaubey stated that the goal deprived India of a historic entry into the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the 2026 edition. He emphasized that the ball had clearly gone out of play and that the referee's decision was a "grave supervision error."

The AIFF has written to FIFA Head of Qualifiers, AFC Head of Referees, and the match commissioner, requesting a thorough investigation. Chaubey urged them to explore possibilities of "sporting compensation" to rectify the injustice.

The match commissioner, Iran's Hamed Momeni, is responsible for supervising the organization of the match and ensuring adherence to FIFA regulations. His role includes ensuring that the ball is in play when a goal is scored.

The controversial goal has sparked widespread outrage among Indian football fans and experts. Many believe that the referee's decision was influenced by external factors and that India was unfairly denied a chance to advance in the World Cup qualifiers.

The AIFF's demand for an investigation is a significant step towards addressing the concerns raised by the Indian football community. The outcome of the investigation will determine whether India has a legitimate case for compensation or if the result of the match will stand.

Tags: #Football, #WorldCupQualifiers, #AIFF, #FIFA, #RefereeError