Snooker player Hossein Vafaei was left stunned after being deemed to have committed a rare foul at the Northern Ireland Open.

He was playing veteran Jimmy White, who pulled off an incredible upset as he beat the world no. 42 4-2 on Monday. However, the Round 1 tie was overshadowed by an unusual call from referee Kevin Dabrowski.

Vafaei potted the redEurosport

But it was deemed to be a fouleurosport

Vafaei had potted a red, but as he struck the ball, the official called ‘foul’.

It was then explained he had placed the cue ball outside the D after White had potted it.

The Iranian looked to be in absolute disbelief when he heard the referee’s claim and asked for a replay.

“I’m absolutely certain,” the referee said.

After doubling down on his view, he concluded: “Free ball.”

And the Eurosport commentators were just as baffled as Vafaei.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” former snooker star Neal Foulds said.

Replays were then shown, with Vafaei and the official both going over to watch the footage back.

“I can’t tell,” Foulds said, as TV footage showed the moment back. “It’s got to be over the line I suppose, rather than on the line. It looked like it might have been in. 

“But I’m not going to say either way. I don’t think it’s very obvious, one way or another.”

Vafaei took a look at the footage, which rarely has to happen in snookerEurosport

But whilst Dabrowski thought the replay confirmed his original decision, Vafaei was not convinced.

“It’s on the yellow spot!” he protested.

“No, it’s out the D,” the official replied. “I’m 100 per cent sure.”

Vafaei clearly wasn’t happy with the call, but with the referee having the final say, he returned to his seat – visibly unimpressed – and watched White take the free ball.

White also had a look at the replay, and after the match he revealed a similar incident happened to him at The Masters.

He said: “When we looked at it on the camera it was close, but I remember that happened to me in The Masters once.

“You’re absolutely right, it looks a little bit right of the yellow spot. I thought it was over the line going up.

It wasn’t Vafaei’s dayGETTY

Four-time world champion is into the next roundGETTY

“I see what [Dabrowski was] saying. He was adamant the referee. He had a bit of a nightmare today with the match, didn’t he? 

“Then you’ve got a few people in the crowd who got a bit excited, but he did well. But yeah, there it looks slightly out.”

The Whirlwind will face fellow Englishman Martin O’Donnell in the snooker tournament’s second round on Wednesday.

https://x.com/eurosport/status/1848443937104470063