Latest developments on Zakho professional regarding his case with the referee who assaulted him

Zakho's Oliveira de Souza Orinio has commented on the incident where he was struck by the assistant referee during his team's match against Al Talaba in the fifth round of the Iraqi Premier League, which took place today, Saturday, at the Zakho International Stadium.

The match ended in a goalless draw amid tense atmospheres and instances of tug-of-war, with fans expressing their anger and criticizing the officiating. They even threw water bottles in protest against the decisions made by referee Wathiq Mohammed and his assistant Mohammed Louay.

The match saw the dismissal of player Orenio in the 89th minute after a confrontation with assistant referee Mohamed Louay. He also got into a scuffle with the assistant coach of the Al Talaba team, Hassan Turki.

After the match, the Brazilian professional (31 years old) wrote on his official Instagram account, saying: "I apologize to my teammates, to Zakho, and to all the fans who attended the stadium. Today, I was a victim of an unprepared referee who insulted me and then hit me with his elbow. I hope he is punished accordingly, as this is cowardice."

In this context, former Zakho team supervisor Taha Al-Hakim commented on the incident of the referee hitting a player: "We know that a player may lose his temper under the pressure of the match, and this is something that happens in football, but the referee has no right to lose his temper, nor is he allowed in any case to lay a hand on a player on the pitch."

He added: "The assistant referee's job is to monitor and apply the law, not to become a party in the altercation. If a player strikes another player, there are laws and penalties for that, but if a referee strikes a player, then the question arises: who holds the referee accountable and who protects the player? This is not a fleeting incident or a refereeing mistake that can be overlooked; it is a serious act that undermines the integrity of officiating and requires investigation and accountability."

He added: "We are not asking for leniency for Zakho, nor are we looking for excuses for the player; but we demand that the law be applied to everyone, both the player and the referee. If the law punishes the player when he loses his temper, it is only natural that the referee should be punished when he loses his temper as well. We await a clear stance from the relevant authorities, as such behavior should not go unnoticed."

This was Talal Al-Balushi's first match with his team Zakho after returning to them, as the club's management entrusted him with the task following a decline in results under French coach Laurent Banide.

The incident from the match between Zakho and Al Talaba, which took place during the fifth round of the Iraqi Premier League, was resolved. The match saw the referee push Zakho's Brazilian professional player Oliveira de Souza Orenio, which sparked significant controversy in Iraq, before the referees' committee of the Iraqi Football Association made an important decision.

The match saw the sending off of player Orinio in the 89th minute after a confrontation with assistant referee Mohamed Louay. The player also got into a scuffle with the assistant coach of the Al-Talaba team, Hassan Turki. The player commented on the incident, stating that he was a victim of an unprepared referee who insulted him and then struck him with his elbow.

The spokesperson for the Iraqi referees committee, Sabah Abdul, stated in media remarks: "Assistant referee Muhammad Louay is one of the distinguished young referees in Iraq, and I expect him to have a great future. In my opinion, he will be one of the referees representing Iraq in the World Cup in the coming years, as he has shown exceptional abilities."

"The referee admitted his mistake and formally apologized to the referees' committee. We, in turn, spoke with him and informed him that we are with him and support him, but his behavior was not correct. The referee should keep his composure and not be influenced by pressure and act based on reactions, and therefore he should have been more disciplined and calm."

He stated: "Just as a player respects the referee, the referee must also respect the player on the pitch, and he should not be affected by what players say. We referees receive insults from players and fans, and we must remain disciplined on the pitch and maintain our composure, so that matches can proceed normally without issues."

He added: "What happened in the Zakho match is a lesson for everyone, and we assure the fans that this incident will not happen again. Regarding assistant referee Mohamed Louay, the referees' committee has decided to temporarily rest him, and this decision does not represent a punishment for him, but rather an opportunity to take a break and also to review himself in preparation for starting a new chapter in the competition."

The match ended in a goalless draw amid a tense atmosphere and instances of tug-of-war, with fans expressing their anger and criticizing the officiating. They even threw water bottles in protest against the decisions made by referee Wathiq Mohammed and his assistant Mohammed Louay. This match was also the first for coach Talal Al-Balushi after his return to Al-Student.