Moroccan referee Redouane Jayed has now spoken out after refusing to take charge of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations third-place playoff between South Africa and DR Congo.
The official has come out to clear the air, giving his side of the story after it was reported that he declined to take the whistle for the match due to being overlooked for the final between Ivory Coast and Nigeria.
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Instead, Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida was chosen by CAF to take control of the tournament's concluding fixture that saw the hosts become champions, while Ethiopia's Bamlak Tessema officiated the match that saw Bafana clinch third spot and bronze medals.
Speaking to Radio Mars, Jayed confirmed that he did refuse to take charge of the match, insisting that he did so because no one could offer him an explanation as to why he was not selected for the final, adding that being snubbed caused him "great pain".
"I heard many stories about rebellion and disagreement that reached the point of clashing with the CAF arbitration committee. This did not happen. All that mattered was that I politely refused to lead the third-place match because I was present on this station," he said, per Kooora.
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Jayed went on to add that, since 2010, he has missed numerous finals at club and international level, primarily due to the involvement of either the Moroccan national team or Moroccan clubs, along with teams from the broader north African region.
The referee stated that circumstances in the Ivory Coast, however, were different as it was the host country's team that progressed to the final alongside Nigeria.
"I led the match between Cameroon and Nigeria, the Clasico of the region, and I got high points, and I was the candidate to lead the final," Jayed continued.
"I did not understand why I was ignored, so I refused to attend the match for third place, because no one spoke to me to explain to me what happened... I asked for clarifications, but unfortunately I did not receive them, so it was a response.
"I did not delve into the rest of the details, but what I experienced in Cote d'Ivoire caused me great pain, made me frustrated, and I fear that no Moroccan referee will attend the World Cup, because strange things happen at the level of appointments that I do not understand."
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