Egyptian referee Gehad Grisha has been suspended for six months following his performance in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final between Wydad Casablanca and Espérance de Tunis, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The decision comes in response to what CAF officially described as a “poor performance” during the match, which took place on Saturday, May 24, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco.
CAF released a brief statement on its website regarding the sanction, noting that the referees’ committee had decided to suspend Grisha for a period of six months due to his handling of the crucial first-leg encounter. The announcement reflects CAF’s acknowledgment of multiple contentious decisions that occurred during the high-stakes match, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The governing body emphasized that the suspension was warranted by the referee’s performance, underscoring the importance of maintaining high officiating standards in African club competitions.
Gehad Grisha, 43, has been an international referee since 2008 and has officiated at the highest levels of football, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Despite his extensive experience, his performance in Rabat was widely criticized, particularly by Wydad Casablanca and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). Following the match, Said Naciri, president of Wydad, along with FRMF officials, formally submitted a complaint to CAF regarding what they considered incorrect and unfair refereeing decisions.
The main points of contention centered on two critical moments in the match. First, Wydad claimed that a legitimate goal scored in the 46th minute was wrongly disallowed. Later, in the 56th minute, the Moroccan side was denied a penalty that many observers deemed clear. These incidents, according to Wydad and the FRMF, significantly affected the outcome of the match and raised questions about the referee’s judgment and use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology during the game.
CAF’s suspension of Grisha highlights the governing body’s recognition of the validity of these complaints and its determination to uphold the integrity of refereeing in African football. The six-month suspension means that Grisha will not be eligible to officiate any CAF matches, including the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to take place in Egypt from June 21 to July 19, 2019. This represents a major setback for the Egyptian referee, who had previously been regarded as one of Africa’s most experienced officials on the international stage.
The CAF Champions League final will now move forward to its decisive second leg on Friday, May 31, 2019, at the Radès Stadium in the suburbs of Tunis. Wydad Casablanca will travel to Tunisia seeking a result that could secure their first continental title in years, while defending champions Espérance de Tunis will aim to capitalize on their home advantage. The controversy surrounding Grisha’s performance has already heightened the stakes, putting a spotlight on refereeing standards and the role of VAR in critical African club competitions.
This suspension serves as a reminder of the intense scrutiny that referees face in continental tournaments and underscores CAF’s commitment to fairness and accountability, especially in the competition’s most high-profile matches.
