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Horacio Elizondo

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Horacio Marcelo Elizondo (born November 4 ,1963, in Quilmes) is an Argentine international football referee.


Background

Elizondo completed studies in physical education, and started refereeing after finishing the AFA course. His debut in the Argentine first division was in the Deportivo Español vs. Belgrano de Córdoba match in 1992. He was named international in 1994, and directed his first international match on October 9 1994 between Ecuador and Colombia for the 1998 World Cup qualifications.


2006 FIFA World Cup

He was appointed to represent Argentina in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, together with country fellow assistants Darío García and Rodolfo Otero, to referee the opening game of the tournament between Germany and Costa Rica.

In his following match, the Czech Republic vs. Ghana game, he awarded Ghana a penalty for a challenge by Tomáš Ujfaluši, on Matthew Amoah. However, whilst he was sending off the Czech defender, Gyan (the player to take the penalty kick) prematurely took the penalty without waiting for the referee. Elizondo booked the Ghanan forward.

Switzerland vs. South Korea

Elizondo was also the referee in the Switzerland vs. Korea game. He awarded the Swiss a controversial goal overruling Rodolfo Otero's raised offside flag. Several players, including two defenders who were following Alexander Frei (Jin-Cheul Choi and Jin-kyu Kim), stopped playing when they saw the flag, expecting it to be accompanied by the referee's whistle. However no whistle was blown that would have signaled halt in the game. The ball was put into the path of Alexander Frei after being hit by Lee Ho's foot. According to some commentators and media, Lee Ho's action was not a mere deflection but an intentional move, what would make the offside void, supporting Elizondo's decision. However, the official FIFA rules do indicate that the offside decision should have been given, if Lee Ho's actions were adjudged to have been an accidental deflection. Korean players and staff protested against the decisions by the referee, and Korea's coach Dick Advocaat was livid to the point that he had to be cautioned twice by the referee. A few days later, though, Advocaat relented and agreed that the decision to allow Switzerland's second goal was correct.

Elizondo's decisions have caused anger among Koreans, many of whom sent e-mails of protest to the official FIFA

  1. FIFA - 'Horacio Elizondo: “Referees need to be clinical'". Last accessed on June 1 2006.
  2. Prensa Latina - "Elizondo representará al arbitraje argentino". Last accessed on June 1 2006.
  3. CZECH REPUBLIC 0-2 GHANA
  4. "Suiza venció a Corea del Sur y se clasificó" - Clarín Template:Es icon
  5. "Switzerland 2 South Korea 0" - Professional Footballers Association
  6. Gaining advantage - Offside Offence - Page 12
  7. "World-South Korea take credit after controversial exit" - Reuters