Ma Ning Sparks Controversy Again as Korean Star Speaks Out — Foreign Media Call Him “China’s Worst Referee”

South Korea recently faced Bolivia in an international friendly, securing a 2–0 victory. But instead of the scoreline, it was Chinese referee Ma Ning—often dubbed China’s “Golden Whistle”—who became the center of attention. Several of his decisions drew sharp dissatisfaction from the Korean side. After the match, star forward Hwang Hee-chan openly questioned his officiating, while some Korean media went as far as calling Ma Ning “China’s worst referee.”

Early in the game, Hwang Hee-chan was fouled by Bolivian defender Medina, sparking a brief confrontation between players. However, Ma Ning chose not to intervene or make a call. Speaking to the media afterward, Hwang expressed confusion and disappointment. He argued that both he and Lee Kang-in were subjected to repeated rough tackles throughout the first half, yet the referee allowed much of it to go unchecked. “If the referee had handled these situations more carefully, we could have played more comfortably. This is just a friendly match — injuries should be avoided. It’s really unfortunate,” Hwang said.

This isn’t the first time Ma Ning’s officiating has stirred controversy in Korea. Some Korean outlets quickly revisited past disputes. Korean media platform “nate” published a sharply worded critique: “China’s worst referee officiated Korea vs. Bolivia. Ma Ning, notorious for his poor officiating, has long had a strained history with the Korean team. In the World Cup qualifiers against Oman, even though Korea won, Ma Ning made several decisions that went against them.”

The report highlighted a key moment from that Oman match. With the score tied 1–1 early in the second half, Son Heung-min was tripped in the box and Ma Ning initially awarded a penalty. But he abruptly stopped play, consulted the VAR room, and overturned the decision. “For Korean players, it brought back painful memories of the Asian Cup match against Bahrain,” the outlet wrote.

The article continued: “During that Asian Cup group-stage opener, Ma Ning issued yellow cards to five Korean players — including Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Lee Ki-je, and Cho Gue-sung — despite none of them committing notably dangerous fouls. In contrast, he appeared lenient toward Bahrain’s challenges. Korean players protested strongly, but Ma Ning ignored their appeals and allowed play to continue.”

Ma Ning’s refereeing has stirred controversy multiple times this year in international competitions. In a World Cup qualifier between Indonesia and Iraq, Indonesian players were visibly infuriated with his decisions and even attempted to confront him physically. The Indonesian FA later claimed they would file a complaint to the AFC over what they saw as unfair officiating. However, the AFC ultimately backed Ma Ning and instead issued punishments to several Indonesian players involved in the incident.

Despite his “Golden Whistle” reputation in China, Ma Ning continues to face intense scrutiny abroad — and this latest Korea-Bolivia friendly has once again put his officiating under the spotlight.