Referee Ilgiz Tantashev faces backlash after not booking Paraguay despite 12 fouls in a heated World Cup loss to France.
REFEREE Ilgiz Tantashev has come under intense criticism following his handling of Paraguay’s ill-tempered World Cup defeat to France, with some fans calling on FIFA to suspend the match official.
According to The Mirror, supporters voiced their frustration after Tantashev failed to issue a single yellow card to Paraguay despite a series of robust challenges throughout the match.
France emerged without any major injuries, although their players were subjected to repeated physical tackles as Paraguay adopted an aggressive approach.
The contest also featured several heated confrontations before tensions boiled over at full-time, when players from both sides became involved in a confrontation following Paraguay’s elimination.
BBC pundits Joe Hart and Thomas Hitzlsperger were highly critical of Paraguay’s conduct, describing the team’s approach as unacceptable.
Despite Paraguay committing 12 fouls during the match, Tantashev, who has been on FIFA’s list of international referees for 13 years, did not caution any of their players. In contrast, three French players received yellow cards.
The officiating quickly became a major talking point on social media, with many supporters accusing the Uzbek referee of failing to control the game adequately.
One supporter claimed the referee showed “no interest in applying the laws of the game” or safeguarding player welfare, while another described it as “one of the worst refereeing performances” they had witnessed. Others questioned how Paraguay finished the match without receiving a single booking despite the number of fouls committed.
The controversial display has fuelled widespread debate online over the standard of officiating at the tournament, although FIFA has yet to comment publicly on the criticism directed at Tantashev.
