Burkina Faso’s hopes of fielding winger Jonathan Pitroipa in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Nigeria rest on the referee’s semi-final match report. The Stallions danger man was controversially sent off in the second half of extra time against Ghana by Tunisian referee Slim Jdidi who has since been suspended by CAF.
“The organising committee does not have the power to change the referee’s decision unless he admits he made a mistake in his official report,” said CAF official Hicham El Amrani.
Pitroipa was shown a second yellow card in the final minutes of extra-time against Ghana, earning a caution for simulation even though John Boye appeared to trip the Burkinabe inside his own area.
The 26-year-old is now set to miss Sunday’s Johannesburg final against Nigeria’s Super Eagles – unless Jdidi’s report can come to his aid. However, Burkina Faso has appealed to the competitions committee of the tournament to reverse the decision saying the winger was unfairly dismissed. “We have appealed to the Confederation of African Football,” media officer Gabriel Nacoulma told BBC Sport on Thursday.
Meanwhile, CAF Secretary-General El Amrani told a news conference in Johannesburg on Thursday that his body was unhappy with the standard of officiating in the Nelspruit semi-final. “We would have expected a better standard,” he said.
“There is a meeting (on Friday) to discuss the Pitroipa incident.”
The stallions will still be without another key man Alain Traore who is ruled out due to injury and are still waiting on the injury extent of Muhammad Koffi who was stretchered off in the semi-finals.
