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Egyptian football coach Hossam Hassan sparked controversy during a FIFA World Cup match against Argentina when he made the governing body's official anti-racism 'X' gesture after a disputed decision. The move prompted a yellow card from the French referee, François Letexier, and sparked an argument between Hassan and match officials.
The drama unfolded in the 82nd minute of the Round of 16 match when Egyptian player Mostafa Ziko thought he had doubled the advantage with a goal, only for French referee François Letexier to overturn the decision after an on-field VAR review.
Hassan reacted angrily to the decision and made the anti-racism gesture, which allowed him to report alleged abuse. However, instead of triggering the three-step protocol of suspending or abandoning the match, Letexier simply cautioned Hassan with a yellow card.
The situation escalated moments later when a member of Egypt's back-room staff ran onto the pitch and confronted Messi, prompting a red card and security escort.
Hassan continued making the 'X' gesture and arguing with officials after the final whistle, accusing them of manipulating the match in Argentina's favour.
The Egyptian football analysts, Ahmad Youssef, questioned the consistency of the officiating, arguing that the overturned goal changed the outcome of the match.
FIFA could now investigate Hassan over his use of the governing body's anti-racism gesture. His explosive post-match comments could also come under disciplinary review.
Egypt suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the match, with Lionel Messi inspiring the comeback and Enzo Fernández heading home the winner in stoppage time.
Hassan's actions sparked widespread debate on social media, with many questioning his behavior and criticizing the decision to caution him rather than suspend him.
The controversy has highlighted the need for clear guidelines on the use of anti-racism gestures during matches.
"This was clearly a manipulated match, the whole world saw it," Hassan said in the post-match interview.
Egypt's loss to Argentina has left the African giants facing a tough road to recovery in the World Cup.
FIFA has not commented on the incident, but the governing body has stated that it will take swift action against any player or official found to be engaging in racist behavior.
Hassan has a long career in football, serving as the coach of several Egyptian national teams. He has also had stints as the coach of several clubs, including Zamalek and Al-Ahly.