Iraqi international referee Mohammad Tarek Ahmed issued a statement to the Iraqi Football Association after being temporarily suspended by the Referees Committee due to a tattoo that the committee had previously asked him not to reveal during matches. Mohammad Tarek Ahmed, the son of the late Tariq Ahmed, former Secretary-General of the Iraqi Football Association and Head of the Referees Committee, has a lion tattoo on his left thigh and another of a map of Iraq on his chest.
In a statement posted on the account "@iraqfpg" on X, he said: "Strangely and unexpectedly, a situation that has not occurred in any football leagues around the world arose when the head of the referees committee, Dr. Najah Rahim, appeared on a television program. Instead of giving credit where it's due, he attacked me for personal behavior unrelated to refereeing, intentionally causing me psychological and moral harm while aligning with what is being discussed on social media, announcing my suspension from officiating due to the tattoo on my leg, which international and local laws do not prohibit at all. This made my name the subject of considerable ridicule, for which I have faced insults and slander towards my late father, international referee Tariq Ahmed, who had a significant influence on my career. Therefore, I demand the reparation of my violated honor, as it would have been more appropriate for the head of the referees' committee to defend referees rather than make them a subject of mockery from followers. I present my grievance before you and hope for your respect in restoring my reputation, which is certainly a restoration of the Iraqi whistle from Facebook comments, and may God grant success."
Referee Mohammad Tarek clarified that "the tattoo I have does not carry any racist implication; the lion and the map of Iraq symbolize the identity of the Iraqis." He pointed out that "the Iraqi constitution does not prohibit this, in addition to the legal texts established by FIFA regarding this issue, as long as the tattoo does not represent any racist message. I have filed a grievance with the Iraqi Football Association and will file a lawsuit regarding this in one of the courts."
