The match between Al-Shorta and its guest, Al-Hudood, on Monday for the 20th round of the Iraqi football league witnessed a rare occurrence on the field: Al-Shorta player Abdul Majid Abu Bakr refused a penalty kick. As the match was nearing its end, Abu Bakr moved from the left side of Al-Hudood's defense and, upon colliding with one of the defenders, fell to the ground. The referee blew his whistle and awarded a penalty to Al-Shorta; however, Abu Bakr raised his hand to indicate it was not a penalty.
The referee then reviewed the situation using VAR, and after looking at the incident from multiple angles, he reversed his initial decision and canceled the penalty.
The match concluded with Al-Shorta defeating Al-Hudood 2-0, allowing both teams to share the top of the Iraqi league table with 45 points each. Meanwhile, Al-Hudood's points remained at 29, placing them in ninth position.
