Ali Sabbagh
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| Full name | Ali Sabbagh | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
30 June 1979 Aramoun, Lebanon | ||
| Other occupation | Teacher | ||
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2008–2013 | FIFA | Referee | |
| 2008–2013 | AFC | Referee | |
Ali Sabbagh (Arabic: عَلِيّ صَبَّاغ; born 30 June 1979) is a Lebanese former football referee. He was a full international referee for FIFA between 2008 and 2013,[1] before being banned for life from refereeing due to fixing a match in return for sexual favours.
Sabbagh refereed in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers,[2] beginning with the match between Nepal and Timor-Leste.[3]
On 10 June 2013, the referee was sentenced to six months in jail by a Singapore court, after pleading guilty to influencing two linesmen to help fix an AFC Cup match which took place on 3 April 2013.[4] He and the two linesmen "corruptly receiving gratification in the form of free sexual service", arranged by Singaporean businessman Eric Ding Si Yang.[4] The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also banned Sabbagh from refereeing and attending stadiums.[5]
