Durban, South Africa - Tunisian referee Slim Jdidi, who handled the 2013 African Nations Cup semi-final match between Burkina Faso and Ghana Wednesday, has been suspended indefinitely over the red card he gave to Burkina player Jonathan Pitroipa.
Jdidi is the first and only referee of the tournament to have been disciplined so far.
Secretary General of African soccer's governing body, CAF, Hicham El Amran, told journalists at a media conference reviewing the tournament Thursday that the confederation was not satisfied with the way Jdidi handled the explosive encounter.
Specifically, the red card given to Pitroipa was judged unjustified.
Pitroipa, who scored the back-breaking goal that sent Togo out in the quarter-finals, was brought down in the penalty box by a Ghanaian defender three minutes to the end of the extra time.
Instead of the referee to award a penalty kick, he penalised Pitroipa, alleging simulation.
The player will have to miss the final match against Nigeria on Sunday.
When the CAF Secretary General was asked why the player will still serve the punishment since the card he got was in error, he explained that a referee’s decision was final, and that it can only be changed if the referee admits in his report that he committed an error.
Pana 07/02/2013