Referees are tasked with making divisive calls at every level of the football pyramid, from amateur tournaments all the way up to the Premier League.While fans often fail to empathise with those responsible for any decision that goes against their team, most can appreciate they’re doing a difficult job.Even the most experienced referees aren’t immune to committing the occasional error - they are human after all.That’s why, for the most part, the introduction of VAR and its capacity to facilitate fairer officiating has been a welcome initiative.However, such technology is only available at the elite level for now.

As a result, avenues for rectifying howlers made in less prestigious competitions are almost non-existent.

This issue came to pass in a recent under-14s match between Galatasaray and Istanbulspor.

Beknaz Almazbekov - Galatasaray’s captain - went to ground without being touched by his marker as he dribbled into the visitors’ box.

Replays clearly show the forward simply lost his balance and tripped over, but in the eyes of the referee, there was sufficient contact to award a penalty.

The competitive streak in most footballers would be enough for them to bury the spot kick without thinking, but not Almazbekov.

Instead of capitalising on the unjust situation, the 13-year-old stepped up and deliberately kicked the ball into touch.

It’s an admirable display of sportsmanship, not least from someone so young.

Check out Almazbekov’s deliberate miss in the video below…

Aside from this incident, Galatasaray were superior to Istanbulspor in every department on the day.

The home side marched on to secure a 3-0 victory, though it would’ve been a somewhat sour result if not for Almazbekov’s commendable gesture.

To some extent, integrity has become a rare trait in a sporting landscape where fame and huge financial incentives can influence players’ actions.

With that in mind, Almazbekov has been the subject of widespread praise for upholding an attitude that’s not seen often enough in the modern game.