Referee Rauf Allahverdiyev, who is not very well known to football fans, came to the fore on April 2 this year.

He attracted attention for not awarding a penalty to the home team in the 90+1 minute of the Azerbaijan Cup semi-final match between “Neftchi” and “Sabah”. R. Allahverdiyev, who made a gross mistake in the VAR room, did not see the need to analyze the episode.

AFFA launched an investigation after the match. According to the rules, R. Allahverdiyev was not assigned to the Premier League and cup matches during the investigation. However, the referee in question made several statements to the press during the investigation, making harsh statements to the AFFA leadership.

Today, information that can be considered a sensation was published on the fanat.az website. In the published information, R. Allahverdiyev sincerely admitted his guilt in interviews with media representatives. He went to AFFA and wrote an explanation, admitted his mistake, and stated that his thoughts and statements did not reflect the truth. It should be noted in the explanation that R. Allahverdiyev also stated that he would refute the media regardless of the decision made regarding him.

Today, we contacted Rauf Allahverdiyev. In his statement to Offsideplus.az, he said that he would respect and refute any decision made regarding him: "I have indeed been to AFFA, I have written an explanation. I admit my guilt. I have asked that my family situation and the fact that I have 2 minor children to take into account when making a decision regarding me."

Rauf Allahverdiyev noted in his statement to our website that AFFA will not continue cooperation with him. The term of his contract, which expired on June 1, has not been extended.

There is a simple reason for this: while AFFA did not officially provide any written information or notification to the referee during the investigation, the referee made unfounded statements to the public, and slanderous statements that could damage the reputation and business image of AFFA.

Thus, as if the carelessness in the VAR room was not enough, Rauf Allahverdiyev's tongue also fell into trouble.

It is clear that AFFA has embarked on a serious fight against such poor refereeing. The goal is to fully protect objectivity and transparency in the national championship and cup competitions, especially in principled matches. Only through sharp decisions can it be possible to achieve development and raise the level of refereeing, which is one of the most sensitive parts of football.