A section of passionate African football fans has expressed displeasure with UK-based media outlet Daily Mail over what they perceive as ‘negative’ reporting on the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The contentious article, headlined “AFCON referee misses ‘STONEWALL’ penalty before VAR steps in,” has sparked criticism from African enthusiasts who feel the report undermines the commendable efforts of the tournament’s referees.
The Daily Mail story centered around an incident during the intense clash between defending champions Senegal and hosts Ivory Coast in the round of 16. The thrilling encounter ended in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes, with Ivory Coast emerging victorious in a dramatic penalty shootout.
However, the Daily Mail’s focus on a single refereeing decision, where VAR was employed, has drawn ire from African fans who argue that it overshadowed the overall phenomenal performance of the referees throughout the tournament.
It is disappointing that you have not for once praised the good officiating
But one mistake is where you bring out an article— Atinuke Esan (@SucreMamito124) January 30, 2024
This is disgraceful..
You guys see everyone praising the AFCON VAR and what better thing to do than to wait for an error and turn it into a breaking news— Onos (@0noriode) January 30, 2024
Inconsistencies in the report, such as misattributing a booking to Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe instead of Christian Kouame, further fueled the discontent.
Yellow card was given to Kuame for complaining, not Pepe. The British media has been looking for ways to tarnish AFCON’s clean officiating record cos they can’t believe African refs and VAR can be far better than anything their refs and VAR have ever produced.
— Choco1 (@Afc_choco1) January 30, 2024
The African football community, including fans from Ghana and Nigeria, has taken to social media to accuse Daily Mail of biased reporting, with some going as far as labeling it as racism.
AFCON referees have out shined the EPL referees. They should come for benchmarking.
— Hesborn Etyang (@HesbounEtyang) January 30, 2024
Some fans recommended the consultation of African referees for a better understanding of VAR, while others dismissed the report, claiming to thoroughly enjoy every aspect of the AFCON.
Stop it!!! AFCON’s usage of VAR needs to be studied by EPL management
— Samson Babajide Fayoyiwa (@Emperorpapillo) January 30, 2024
Amid the controversy, fans pointed out that the standard of officiating in the AFCON surpasses that of the Premier League, challenging the narrative presented by the Daily Mail.
Why is this news? This happens every week in Europe and you never reported it
— 'yanju (@esshman) January 30, 2024
The incident in question saw Frank Kessie convert a penalty, levelling the score after Habib Diallo had given Senegal an early lead.
The Elephants ultimately secured victory in the penalty shootout, eliminating the defending champions from the tournament.