Sport24.az
The issue of refereeing in Azerbaijani football has once again become a serious topic of discussion. Many of the decisions made this season have not been well-received by both fans and club representatives. This trend, which has been ongoing since the beginning of the season, is already giving the impression of a systemic problem and raises the question: is it a matter of individual errors, bias, or a general level problem?
In particular, the events surrounding the "Turan Tovuz" – "Zira" (0:2) match further exacerbated the situation. In the game, head referee Aliyar Aghayev continued the game in two penalty episodes. Cavid Jalilov, who was sitting at VAR, invited Aghayev to the monitor in the first episode, but did not consider it necessary to intervene in the second. However, these decisions were factors that directly affected the outcome of the match. Later, Rahim Hasanov, chairman of the AFFA Referees Committee, openly admitted that those episodes were wrong. But the question remains open: do these confessions solve the problem?
The AFFA leadership is taking certain steps to develop referees, including organizing training camps abroad and implementing a high salary and bonus system. This means that it is difficult to explain the existing problems only by material or preparation deficiencies. Although it is not correct to talk about the bias factor without concrete evidence, consistently repeated gross errors already create distrust towards the representatives of justice.
In such circumstances, the dissatisfaction of the clubs is also understandable. Ehtiram Guliyev, chairman of the Board of "Turan Tovuz", rightly asks: if justice is not ensured, what is the point of investing in football? This is a serious signal that makes you think about the future of not only one club, but the football environment as a whole.
Punishing referees is only a superficial solution to the problem. The main issue is to create mechanisms that will minimize the number of errors. Otherwise, towards the end of the season, a shortage of referees and even bigger scandals seem inevitable. Perhaps, as a way out, the option of attracting foreign referees, as in some countries, should also be opened for discussion. Perhaps, referees should be fined for mistakes. Just as the club is fined for a coach or player who violates the rules, let the representatives of justice also be subject to financial sanctions, in addition to not receiving new appointments. Perhaps in this case, they will be more responsible on the field and evaluate the episodes more objectively. Otherwise, the principle of justice in Azerbaijani football will increasingly be questioned.
