Egypt’s Hassan and Zico suspended over FIFA World Cup refereeing criticism

Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan and forward Mostafa Zico have paid the price for criticising the referee after their World Cup knockout loss to Argentina, with FIFA suspending the duo for three and five matches, respectively. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee handed down the sanctions, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said in a statement on Monday. Hossam’s twin brother, Ibrahim, who is the national team’s manager, was also given a three-match suspension. The EFA said it had submitted a request to the committee, seeking “the detailed reasons and justifications for the decisions”. The national football body is planning to appeal after assessing the legal aspects of the punishment.