Refereeing controversies spark debate in Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela

In Argentina, Federico Beligoy, the National Director of Refereeing, has released VAR audio to defend the decisions made during the River Plate vs. Atlético Tucumán match. The controversy centers on a yellow card issued to River's Mauro Arambarri for a challenge on Alexis Canelo, which Atlético Tucumán coach Julio César Falcioni and various club presidents argued should have been a red card. Beligoy stated that the audio proves the decision was correct and accused certain operators of attempting to “install another fallacy against Argentine refereeing.”

In Paraguay, the Referee Commission of the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol released a video analysis defending the officiating in the Sportivo 2 de Mayo vs. Libertad match. The commission justified several decisions, including the refusal to issue red cards for specific fouls and the awarding of a penalty to Libertad.

Meanwhile, in Barinas, Venezuela, violence erupted during a youth football tournament. A brawl between Sub-17 teams “La Candelaria” and “Tavacare” was reportedly triggered by poor officiating. The incident resulted in injuries to a local firefighter who attempted to intervene, leading club presidents to demand the removal of the regional football association's leadership.