Tunisian referee Haitham Guirat, who handled several fixtures at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, has been handed an indefinite suspension by the Tunisian Football Federation after a significant officiating error in a domestic league match.
The federation announced the decision on Monday, confirming that Guirat was at the centre of a controversial call during a Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 encounter.
In a statement, the referees’ committee labelled the incident a “serious refereeing mistake”, leading to swift disciplinary measures aimed at safeguarding the credibility of the league.
While the federation stopped short of providing full details of the incident, the decision has triggered widespread criticism and renewed concerns over the standard of officiating.
The development has also revived scrutiny of Guirat’s performances at the Africa Cup of Nations. He served as the Video Assistant Referee during Nigeria’s third-place playoff against Egypt, a match the Super Eagles won on penalties.
The federation further clarified that the suspension has no fixed duration, noting that Guirat will be subjected to additional evaluation and review by Tunisian football authorities before any decision is made regarding his possible return to officiating.