FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, team director Ibrahim Hassan and forward Mostafa.
The proceedings by FIFA concern comments surrounding the Pharaohs’ World Cup defeat by Argentina. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said it would submit the required responses and legal memoranda within FIFA’s deadlines, while pledging to support the three men.
FIFA has not imposed any sanctions yet. The correspondence gives the three individuals an opportunity to answer the allegations before the governing body’s Disciplinary Committee considers the cases.
According to documents, FIFA’s notices concern statements questioning the integrity of the competition, the governing body and the match officials.
The notice sent to Hossam Hassan reportedly gave him six days from notification to submit a written response.
It cited his claims that commercial interests favoured defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi. After the match, Hassan said that “it’s all about money. They want Messi to stay in the tournament.” He also alleged that internal and external factors had affected the result.
Similarly, the correspondence concerning Ibrahim Hassan reportedly cited comments alleging that Argentina’s victory had been decided beforehand. It also referred to his description of Egypt’s treatment as “cheating and deception.”
That notice also gave Ibrahim six days to send his position to the Disciplinary Committee’s secretariat, where the file will then go before the committee.
As for the notice concerning Ziko, it reportedly focused on his accusations that Egypt received “unfair treatment.” It cited his claims that the referee deliberately influenced the result and that the tournament was “being directed towards Argentina.”
The reported allegations fall under FIFA provisions covering fair play, proper conduct, unsporting behaviour towards match officials and conduct capable of damaging the sport’s reputation.
Egypt lost the last-16 match 3-2 after surrendering a two-goal lead during the closing stages. VAR disallowed an earlier Ziko goal after identifying a foul by Marwan Attia during the build-up.
The Egyptian side also wanted a penalty for a challenge on Mohamed Salah shortly before Enzo Fernández scored Argentina’s stoppage-time winner.
The EFA subsequently filed a formal complaint and asked FIFA to investigate referee François Letexier and the VAR team.
FIFA refereeing chairman Pierluigi Collina later rejected the allegations of bias. He said the VAR had correctly disallowed Ziko’s goal and that officials considered the contact involving Salah to be normal football contact. Collina also defended the officials’ independence.