By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia’s Khalil Ibrahim Jalal Al-Ghamdi was named Friday among the 30 referees for the World Cup Finals in South Africa in June.
FIFA has appointed 30 referees representing 28 countries for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Al-Ghamdi will appear in the World Cup for the second time. He also took part in the 2006 World Cup which took place in Germany.
Omar Al-Muhanna, the newly-appointed head of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referee Committee, expressed his joy over the selection of Al-Ghamdi for the top soccer competition. He wished Al-Ghamdi all the best.
Three other Saudi referees have participated in World Cups: Fallaj Al-Shanar in 1986 Mexico World Cup, Abdurrahman Al-Zaid in 1998 France; and Ali Al-Turaify in 2002 Korea-Japan Cup.
The selection of referees, however, did not go without a controversy. Swede Martin Hansson, who was at the center of France’s controversial World Cup qualification, was also among the referees selected for the Finals.
Hansson failed to spot Thierry Henry’s handball in the playoff second leg against Ireland in Paris in November and was widely criticized after the incident led to the goal which allowed France to qualify.
Ten referees from Europe, six from South America, four from the Asian, African and CONCACAF confederations and two from New Zealand were appointed for the World Cup after a meeting in Zurich of the refereeing committee of world soccer’s ruling body FIFA.
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