South Korea results from 2002 World Cup now under scrutiny

ByMaxwell Ward

Updated 29/05/2015 at 11:25 GMT

South Korea's controversial 2-1 win over Italy and penalty shoot-out defeat of Spain at the 2002 World Cup have been questioned again in the Italian press.

The Corriere dello Sport newspaper alleges that the referee who presided over Spain’s defeat to South Korea was designated by Jack Warner.

The newspaper claims the under-fire former FIFA executive assigned referees to a number of matches at the tournament, among them Spain's controversial penalty loss to the joint-host nation.

Gaizka Mendieta of Spain grapples with South Korean Seol Ki-hyeon

Image credit: AFP

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Egyptian referee Gamal Al-Ghandour was instructed to oversee the quarter-final tie, with Warner’s fellow Trinidadian Michael Ragoonath chosen as his assistant.

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The match is remembered for the multitude of questionable officiating decisions, which saw Spain denied two valid goals and eventually crash out 5-3 on penalties.

Warner, a former FIFA vice-President and CONCAFAF head, was charged with corruption charges by the United States Department of Justice on Wednesday.

Jack Warner

Image credit: Eurosport

While it is not suggested that Warner selected the referee for Italy's 2-1 extra-time defeat to South Korea in 2002, the Italian press have long viewed that game with sceptisism.

Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno, who sent off Francesco Totti during the game, was recently released from a 26-month sentence for drug trafficking in New York.

Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno is berated by Italy players

Image credit: LaPresse

After the defeat, Sepp Blatter said "Italy's elimination is not only down to referees and linesmen who made human not premeditated errors ... Italy made mistakes both in defense and in attack."

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