Referee Slammed With Suspension For Using A Fan's Phone To Review A Goal During A Match

Referee Mohamed Farouk of Egypt has been punished for blocking a goal in a league game using a spectator's cellphone.

On Friday, Al-Nasr believed they had drawn even late against Suez in a second division game.

In Egypt's second division, there is no video assistant referee (VAR), yet Farouk used his phone to see a replay after the home team argued there was a handball.

The goal was subsequently dismissed by Farouk.

The whole refereeing team has been put on indefinite leave, according to a statement from the Egyptian Football Association. Vitor Pereira, who took over for Mark Clattenburg as chairman of the Egyptian Referees Committee earlier this month, made the decision.

With 15 minutes of stoppage time remaining, Suez scored their third goal to secure a 3-1 victory. This came soon after the goal that had been disallowed.

After Al-Nasr players and officials protested and threatened to file a lawsuit against the referee for breaking the rules, Farouk departed the field while being guarded by police.