Renowned Moroccan international referee Redouane Jiyed has denounced rumors circulating on social media regarding his exclusion from officiating African matches, labeling them as falsehoods and fabrications.
Jiyed clarified in a statement to Hesport that if there were any decision from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), it would have been a suspension rather than an exclusion.
The Moroccan referee emphasized that the international badge falls under the jurisdiction of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and is not directly linked to CAF.
Jiyed further asserted that had there been any news regarding his suspension, it would have been published on CAF’s official website or communicated directly to him or his affiliated federation.
Regarding the claims made by the Algerian newspaper “Echourouk” about his exclusion from officiating African matches, Jiyed commented, “Unfortunately, sensitivities between the two countries are well known, and people exploit anything to cast blame on others, but the problem lies in some Moroccan pages and websites that publish the news without any evidence or investigation.”
It is worth noting that the same Algerian newspaper alleged that “the reason for Jiyed’s exclusion from the list of accredited African referees to officiate continental matches is due to his refusal to officiate the third-place match for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his protest against not being given more matches in the AFCON.”
