The EFL has sparked controversy by overturning what many fans see as the “most blatant red card ever” ahead of the play-offs. The player, a key part of Doncaster’s team, was involved in a mix-up with one of his defenders and handled the ball outside his box.
The American referee Alex Chilowicz initially showed a red card, which would have meant the player missed their semi-final first leg away at Crewe Alexandra. However, Doncaster successfully appealed on the grounds of wrongful dismissal, and an independent disciplinary panel found in their favor.
Countless fans were stunned at the decision, with some expressing their disbelief online. Some fans felt that it was a clear red card and were outraged at the decision to overturn it, while others pointed out the specific rules regarding handling outside the box and denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
The IFAB rulebook states that a yellow card should be shown if a promising attack was stopped, and a red card if a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity was denied. In this case, there were differing opinions on whether the player’s actions constituted denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Ultimately, the controversy surrounds the interpretation of the rules and whether the goalkeeper’s actions warranted a red card. The decision to overturn the red card has caused significant debate among fans and football enthusiasts, highlighting the subjective nature of refereeing decisions in the sport.
