Mauritanian President Orders Game to Penalties out of Boredom


Mauritanian President Orders Game to Penalties out of Boredom

TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A football game in the Mauritanian Super Cup was bizarrely sent to a penalty shoot-out in the 63rd minute of play after the country’s head of state grew tired with the match.

President of the Republic, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, was in attendance for the Super Cup final between FC Tevragh-Zeina and ACS Ksar on Monday, though he reportedly influenced the proceedings of the game upon losing interest in the scoreline.

The head of state was said to have become impatient with the tempo of the game, which was held at a 1-1 deadlock, and instead of waiting out the second half and possibly extra-time, he simply ordered that the two teams skip the remaining minutes, Italy-based Gazette World reported.

Upon being given the instructions, the referee brought the match to an abrupt halt, much to the bemusement of the players and fans, before immediately sending the game to be decided on spot kicks.

The bizarre decision has sparked outrage throughout the country with thousands calling for an explanation, however, the league’s footballing federation has denied any claims of Abdel Aziz’s involvement, after an initial period of silence.

“I deny in the strongest terms the intervention of the President of the Republic,” the federation’s president, Ahmed Ould Abderrahmane, wrote in a statement. “The decision was made due ​​to organisational issues in accordance with the presidents and the coaches of the two teams.”

Tevragh Zeina went on to lift the trophy after winning the penalty shout-out.

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