"Bring on foreign referees..." - Indian football fans left fuming after refereeing errors plague ISL 2022-23

East Bengal secured only their fifth win of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season as they defeated Kerala Blasters 1-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Friday, February 3.

The game was enthralling from the get-go, but a few poor decisions from the referee marred it. The Blasters started on the front foot and it appeared that they should have been awarded a penalty in the seventh minute.

Adrian Luna’s corner found Rahul KP, whose header was parried away by Kamaljit Singh. However, the ball deflected off Suhair VP’s hands on the goal line, which was arguably in an unnatural position. The referee waved play on as the Blasters’ appeals went in vain.

Towards the end of the half, East Bengal’s players also claimed a penalty when Jake Jervis was tackled from behind by Victor Mongil. The referee once again did not point to the spot as chaos unfolded, with Alex Lima eventually being awarded a yellow card for protesting.

There were also a couple of poor offside calls and although the decisions did not trouble the outcome of the game, fans and pundits alike have certainly questioned the standard of refereeing. Furthermore, this was not the first time refereeing decisions have stolen the limelight in the ISL.

Chennaiyin FC’s 2-2 draw with Odisha FC on Thursday, February 3, was at the center of controversy. The Juggernauts’ first goal was clearly offside, but the officials failed to spot it. They then chalked off a goal for offside, but Odisha FC's Isak Vanlalruatfela was in an onside position when he put the ball into the back of the net.

Following two poor decisions, Nasser El Khayati was fouled in the penalty box in what seemed like a leg-breaking challenge, but the referee failed to notice yet again. The Marina Machans felt hard done by poor officiating, which cost them two valuable points.

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Fans call out poor refereeing standards in the Indian Super League

During the match between East Bengal and Kerala Blasters, there was widespread agreement that the referee failed to take control of the proceedings. Fans have undoubtedly been dissatisfied with the officiating in the ISL in recent weeks. They took to social media to voice their opinions. Here are a few reactions:

Calls to introduce Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the ISL have also been raised. Fans have also voiced for better training facilities for match officials to improve their standards.

The inconsistent decisions have taken a toll on the fans as the ISL enters its business end. With playoff spots at stake for several teams, a poor refereeing decision could change the entire course of a club's season.