FIFA Orders Replay of Senegal V South Africa World Cup Qualifier Match

FIFA has ordered that a World Cup qualifier match between South Africa and Senegal be replayed after the referee awarded a penalty for a non-existent handball and was banned for life for match manipulation.

The decision was announced by the Federation International Football Association (FIFA) yesterday.

This is coming after the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) reported referee Joseph Lamptey to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA following Senegal's 2-1 defeat to South Africa on 12 November 2016.

FIFA has said the game would be replayed this November. It says it made the decision to order a replay after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the lifetime ban for the referee in question, Joseph Lamptey of Ghana.

Lamptey, who made suspicious decisions during the match which was played in Polokwane, South Africa, was initially banned for three months by CAF, but the Ghanaian was then handed a lifte-time ban from FIFA for match manipulation.

FIFA found Lamptey guilty of breaching the rule relating to "unlawfully influencing match results."

He gave a penalty for a non-existent handball against Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly in the game in Polokwane, South Africa. Replays clearly showed the ball struck Koulibaly's knee and then dropped to the ground.

The statement read: "The Bureau for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers ordered a replay of the qualification match between South Africa and Senegal held on 12 November 2016. This decision follows the confirmation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to uphold the lifetime ban of match referee, Jospeh Lamptey, for match manipulation, the ruling imposed by the FIFA Disciplinary and Appeal Committees. The match will be replayed within the November 2017 international window, with the exact date to be confirmed in due course.

As stated in the FIFA World Cup regulations, this decision shall come into effect immediately but shall be subject to confirmation by the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions at its next meeting, scheduled for 14 September."
However, the South African Football Assciation (SAFA) has  said that it will study the contents of the FIFA report, before issuing a statement on intentions to challenge that decision.

Their statement read thus: "SAFA is studying the contents of the report and will issue a statement on intentions to challenge that decision.

SAFA wishes to also state categorically that it was in no way involved with any wrongdoing related to the actions of the referee, as stated in the FIFA report.

In the meantime, all issues related to this matter will be handled by Senior Counsel, Mr Norman Arendse."

FIFA says the game will be replayed in the November international window, with the  date to be decided as soon as possible.