Refereeing system and issues of justice in Uzbekistan football were discussed
Another sharp and necessary step has been taken toward ensuring justice and transparency in Uzbekistan's football. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
At an emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the Professional Football League, systemic problems in refereeing and controversial decisions were discussed in detail. According to Zamin.uz, recent situations regarding the scales of justice in our football—considered a game of millions—are raising serious questions among the public.
During the meeting, Liga CEO Diyor Imomkhojayev specifically addressed the ambiguous situations surrounding the activities of referees and the VAR system. It was noted that despite the League providing the most modern technical tools to assist referees, including mobile television stations, decisions on the field continue to cause numerous objections.
In Imomkhojayev's view, in some situations, it creates the impression that VAR is becoming a tool for protecting certain interests instead of serving justice. The controversial incident that occurred during the match between Kokand and Nasaf in the sixth round of the Super League was the final straw for the League.
After the game, the League requested audio recordings from the VAR system from the Uzbekistan Football Referees Center. However, the center's delay in providing this information under various excuses further strengthened suspicions.
A group of experts confirmed that in that situation, the VAR referee called the head referee and acknowledged a mistake had been made. The Executive Committee decided to take strict measures to restore the trust of the football community and to serve as an example for other referees.
Accordingly, head referee Rustam Lutfullin and VAR referee Ibrohim Ismoilov have been completely excluded from Super League, Pro League, and Uzbekistan Cup matches until the end of the season. Additionally, a request was sent to the UFA leadership to review whether their international category status is still justified.
The meeting also criticized the fact that the results of reforms led by Belgian specialist Guy Kiala have not been noticeable. It is now expected that new regulations will be developed to increase transparency in the activities of the VAR center and referees.
Errors are natural in football due to the human factor, but their intentional or systemic repetition damages the trust of millions of fans in the sport. In the future, strict control and principles of transparency must take center stage to prevent such occurrences.
