The Chinese Football Association Holds First Referee Review Meeting of 2024 Season
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 11th: The Chinese Football Association convened its first referee review meeting of the 2024 season on the 11th to address three controversial penalties that had sparked complaints from Shanghai Haigang Team and Yunnan Yukun Team. The review results were subsequently announced on the official website.
This meeting marked the inaugural referee review session following the implementation of the new referee regulations by the Chinese Football Association. The “Several Measures to Strengthen and Improve the Fair Execution of Football Referees”, unveiled by the association in February, emphasized the importance of enhancing referee evaluation and review processes, as well as establishing mechanisms for clubs to oversee and dispute referees’ decisions.
“At the outset of the new season, the Chinese Football Association is keen on determining the validity of contentious penalties in professional leagues and soliciting feedback from clubs on referees’ calls,” stated the Chinese Football Association. On the evening of the 11th, the evaluation panel of the Chinese Football Association Disarmament Committee convened a video conference with representatives from the State Sports General Administration, the Chinese Football Association’s disciplinary inspection department, and esteemed media personnel in attendance.
This season’s evaluation approach incorporates both collective deliberation and individual assessments by evaluation members, illustrating a blend of “evaluation” and “discussion”. The review process scrutinized a total of three cases, with particular focus on the rescinded penalty kick of Shanghai Haigang team during a clash with Zhejiang team in the second round of the Chinese Super League. The review conclusively determined that VAR intervention led to the correct nullification of Shanghai Haigang’s penalty kick, affirming the referee’s decision.
The two other cases stemmed from the Chinese League One fixture between Foshan South Lions and Yunnan Yukun Team. The first case involved a potential foul by Foshan team within their penalty area, which was not penalized by the referee. The evaluation deemed the referee’s decision to be accurate. The second case related to a foul by Foshan team near their penalty area, resulting in a direct free kick being awarded. The evaluation upheld the referee’s decision not to award a penalty kick but flagged an error in calling for a foul and awarding a direct free kick.
These reviews underscore the Chinese Football Association’s commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in officiating decisions throughout the 2024 season.