Activities of prominent Uzbek football referees terminated

The refereeing activities of several prominent Uzbek football officials, including Aziz Asimov, Rahim Karimov, Akobirkhodja Shukurullaev, and Abdurashid Khudoyberganov, have been officially terminated due to their involvement in influencing the outcomes of sports competitions. This was announced by the press service of the Football Association of Uzbekistan (UFA).

According to the report, the UFA Ethics Committee convened on April 14 to review the matter, based on letter No. 01/10 submitted by the Professional Football League of Uzbekistan on January 9, 2025. The case involved referees from the Football Referees Center of Uzbekistan — Aziz Asimov, Rahim Karimov, Akobirkhodja Shukurullaev, Abdurashid Khudoyberganov, and Firdavs Norsafarov — who were suspected of influencing match outcomes.

The committee determined that former referees Aziz Asimov and Rahim Karimov had stepped down from officiating voluntarily, citing mistakes and deficiencies in their work. Meanwhile, referees Akobirkhodja Shukurullaev, Abdurashid Khudoyberganov, and Firdavs Norsafarov were found to have made technical errors and were temporarily suspended.

Following the expiration of these temporary suspensions, the UFA Ethics Committee has allowed the resumption of refereeing duties for Shukurullaev, Khudoyberganov, and Norsafarov. They are now permitted to officiate in domestic competitions such as the Super League, Pro League, First League, Uzbekistan Cup, and Super Cup.