Allegations of referee manipulation surface in Al-Ahly vs Mazembe showdown

The fallout from the contentious clash between Egyptian giants Al-Ahly and Democratic Republic of Congo’s TP Mazembe continues to reverberate, with the Egyptian press awash with allegations of malpractice targeting the match director.

Amidst the furor, Egyptian sources have raised allegations of foul play, suggesting that the match director intentionally misled match referee Peter Waweru from Kenya by failing to present the correct video evidence, purportedly aimed at influencing the decision to annul a goal scored by TP Mazembe, despite the scoreline remaining deadlocked.

This incident isn’t the first time directors of Al-Ahly matches have found themselves embroiled in controversy, with previous incidents involving rival African clubs such as Esperance de Tunis in 2018 and Raja Casablanca in 2023.

The allegations have left TP Mazembe feeling aggrieved, with the Lubumbashi-based club asserting that they were denied a legitimate goal that could have altered the outcome of the high-stakes encounter, which unfolded in the semifinal of the Champions League.

The incident has reignited debates surrounding the state of African refereeing, with criticisms leveled at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its failure to address ongoing concerns.

The continued reliance on officials accused of incompetence and bad faith, such as Peter Waweru, only exacerbates the challenges facing African football’s governing body.

As stakeholders grapple with the fallout from the controversial match, calls for greater transparency and accountability within African refereeing circles grow louder, underscoring the imperative for meaningful reforms to restore confidence in the integrity of the sport across the continent.

L’arbitre international Kenyan, Peter Waweru Kamaku a officié le match entre Al Ahly et le TP Mazembe (3-0) lors de demi-finale retour de la C1-CAF.
Plusieurs de ses décisions notamment celle annulant le but du TPM ont été discutables. @CAFCLCC_fr @AlAhly @TPMazembe pic.twitter.com/3qvTy7Ycv7

— Ouragan Sport (@OuraganSport) April 26, 2024