AI Referee Rules Beit Shemesh Player Should Have Received Red Card

An artificial intelligence referee system has determined that Beit Shemesh player Brian Karbali should have been shown a red card during a recent match against Hapoel Petah Tikva. The incident occurred when Karbali stepped on Hapoel Petah Tikva player Karim Kimbaidi, who was on the ground. The on-field referee, Yoav Mizrahi, and the VAR team did not penalize Karbali for the action, allowing play to continue.

To address such situations, a new AI tool was developed, trained on FIFA's Laws of the Game and tested with various scenarios. The AI analyzed the play, stating, "During the sequence of play, the player in white (Karbali) steps with his studs directly onto the shin/ankle area of the player in blue (Kimbaidi) who is on the ground." According to Law 12, a tackle or challenge that endangers the opponent's safety or uses excessive force is considered serious foul play, warranting a red card.

The AI further clarified that even if a prior foul was called in favor of Karbali, the subsequent stepping action constitutes violent or reckless conduct independent of the ball. The AI concluded that if a foul was initially called for Karbali, play should have restarted with a free kick for Beit Shemesh, but Karbali himself should have been issued a red card.