Most Controversial Referee Decisions in History

Darrell Hair accused Pakistan of ball-tampering, penalizing them five runs. Pakistan refused to play after tea, leading to the match being forfeited to England, a first in Test cricket history.

Referee Silvia Regina de Oliveira awarded a goal to Santacruzense after a ball boy placed the ball into the net during a play stoppage, leading to outrage and a suspension.

Frank Lampard’s shot against Germany hit the crossbar and crossed the goal line by 18 inches, but referee Jorge Larrionda and his assistant missed it, denying England a 2-2 tie in a 4-1 loss.

Tom Brady’s apparent fumble was ruled an incomplete pass under the “tuck rule” by referee Walt Coleman, allowing the Patriots to retain possession and win, sparking widespread debate.

Graham Poll mistakenly gave Josip Šimunić three yellow cards instead of two before issuing a red card in a match against Australia, leading to his retirement from international refereeing.

Pedro Mendes’ 45-yard shot crossed the goal line after Roy Carroll fumbled, but referee Mark Clattenburg and his assistants missed it, denying Tottenham a goal in a 0-0 draw.

Roy Jones Jr. out-landed Park Si-Hun by nearly three to one in the Seoul Olympics, but judges awarded Park the win, leading to allegations of corruption. Two judges were later banned.

The referee added three seconds to the clock twice, allowing the USSR to score a winning basket after the USA thought they had won. The USA refused their silver medals, protesting the decision.

Geoff Hurst’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced near the goal line in extra time against West Germany. Referee Gottfried Dienst and linesman Tofik Bakhramov allowed the goal, helping England win 4-2, though modern analysis suggests the ball didn’t fully cross.

Diego Maradona used his hand to score a goal against England, unnoticed by referee Ali Bin Nasser. The goal stood, helping Argentina win 2-1, and remains one of football’s most debated moments.