Sports fans will do just about anything to get into the heads of their opponents, but it seems they went too far during a World Cup qualifying match Tuesday.
With a chance to stamp their tickets to the 2022 World Cup, Senegal fans appeared to shine laser pointers in the direction of Egypt’s Mohamed Salah during a crucial penalty kick.
In a video that has been making the rounds online, it seems there are dozens of laser pointers aimed at the Liverpool forward, who ultimately sailed the shot over the net.
Officially, soccer’s governing body FIFA absolutely prohibits the use of laser pointers and any other items that could distract players and officials.
The Egyptian Football Association has since claimed its team had been the subject of racism and alleged abhorrent behavior from fans.
“The Egyptian team was subjected to racism after offensive banners appeared in the stadium stands against the players, specifically against Mohamed Salah, the team leader,” the statement read on Instagram, according to CNN.
“The crowds also terrorized the players by throwing glass and rocks at them during the warm-up process,” the message continued.
A spokesperson for FIFA told Sky Sports how the organization is “in the process of analyzing the official match reports of the FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Senegal and Egypt.”
“The relevant information included in the match reports will be evaluated by the competent disciplinary bodies before deciding on the next steps to be taken.”
