On Tuesday, the match between Ivory Coast and Ethiopia was abandoned 10 minutes from time after the match referee collapsed.
The match referee, a Ghanaian named Charles Bulu collapsed at the 80th minute of the Group K fixture in Abidjan.
He was removed on a stretcher and taken to hospital, and the state of his condition was not immediately known.
Originally chosen as the fourth official, Bulu handled the game because a fellow Ghanaian failed to arrive at the match venue.
An Ivorian was drafted in as the fourth official, but Ethiopia questioned his neutrality as a replacement for Bulu and refused to continue playing.
The referee of the AFCON qualifier between Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia fell ill in the 80th minute. No referee could replace him, as the 4th referee was an Ivorian & couldn't officiate a match involving his country.
The match ended at the 80th minute with a win for Cote d'Ivoire. pic.twitter.com/1lJ3GFxW3e
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) March 30, 2021
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Ghanaian Referee, Charles Bulu being stretched out of the stadium for medical attention, after he lost consciousness during the AFCON qualifier between Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. pic.twitter.com/2ZsM34tl9s
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) March 30, 2021