After making a significant refereeing blunder in a domestic league match, Tunisian referee Haitham Guirat, who refereed multiple games at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, has been suspended indefinitely by the Tunisian Football Federation.
Following Guirat’s involvement in a contentious incident during a Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 match, the federation confirmed the decision on Monday.
The decision was deemed a “serious refereeing mistake” by the referees’ committee, which prompted urgent disciplinary action to preserve the league’s credibility.
The call generated a lot of criticism and prompted major questions about the officiating quality, even though the federation did not reveal all the specifics of the incident.
The controversy regarding Guirat’s performances at the Africa Cup of Nations has now been rekindled by the suspension. In Nigeria’s match versus Egypt for third place, which the Super Eagles won on penalties, Guirat served as the referee.
The federation claims that there is no set period of time associated with Guirat’s ban. Before considering the referee’s potential return to officiating responsibilities, Tunisian football authorities will conduct more evaluation and review.
