During the team’s Group B match, Madibo tackled Kone, resulting in the Canadian player breaking his leg.
Published June 24, 2026
Qatar’s Asim Madibo has been suspended for five games for a tackle that broke Canadian midfielder Ismael Cohn’s leg during the World Cup.
Madibo was given a straight red card for the incident during Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar in Vancouver last Thursday.
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The suspension rules him out of Qatar’s remaining World Cup matches, including Wednesday’s clash in which Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated the 2022 hosts 3-1 at Seattle Stadium.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee said the suspension was for serious misconduct and that the decision handed down on Wednesday was subject to appeal.
Canada’s first World Cup victory was overshadowed by Cone’s injury. Cohn was taken away on a stretcher and later underwent surgery for a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg.
He was tackled from behind in the 51st minute and lay on the ground holding his legs and covering his mouth with his hands, and players around him immediately feared he was seriously injured.
Despite the severity of his injury, Cohn sat upright on the stretcher and waved to reassure the crowd as the stadium cheered and cheered for him as he was carried off the field.
Nathan Saliba, who scored Canada’s fourth goal in place of the injured Cohn, celebrated by running to the sideline holding up a replica of Cohn’s Canada shirt and pointing to No. 8.
Madibo was also visibly shaken, crying on the pitch with his hands behind his head as his teammates consoled him.
Canadian coach Jesse Marsh said in a subsequent press conference that Madibo went to Cone’s locker room after the game and apologized in person.
“You can’t even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who has reached out. Keep me in your prayers,” Cohn later posted on Instagram.
Madibo, along with Qatar’s sports minister, visited Kone to check on his health following his injury.
“They have been received by the President of the Canadian Soccer Association,” the Qatar Football Association said in a statement.
“This visit reflects the spirit of sportsmanship and strong bonds both on and off the field. We wish the players a speedy recovery and a speedy return to the pitch.”
The association also posted photos from the visit, one of which showed Kone in a wheelchair, wearing his national team jersey, hugging Madibo.
On Wednesday, Cohn was cheering on Canada from the sidelines as the hosts ultimately lost 2-1 to Switzerland at BC Place in Vancouver.
Madibo’s suspension is not FIFA’s biggest problem at the World Cup. Uruguay forward Luis Suarez has been suspended for nine games and banned from football-related activities for four months for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In 1994, Italian national team defender Mauro Tasotti was suspended for eight games for elbowing Spain national team forward Luis Enrique.
