Essam Abdel Fattah on Zamalek's complaint: I oppose being held responsible because of a foreign referee.
Essam Abdel Fattah, head of the Referees Committee at the Egyptian Football Association, commented on the complaint submitted by Zamalek against the officiating crew in the Cairo derby match against Al Ahly, which ended in a 2-0 defeat for the white team.
Background on the Selection of the Match Referee
Essam Abdel Fattah stated in remarks on ON Radio: "I am not entitled to evaluate foreign refereeing, but I can evaluate Egyptian refereeing. What I can say is that I have repeatedly clarified the details of bringing in foreign referees. The Referees Committee strives to provide the best, and we requested a refereeing crew from the top five leagues, but three countries declined and two suggested referees who are not elite. We tried to find an elite referee but could not find one from the World Cup referees due to their commitments in upcoming matches."
VAR Technology and Its Impact on Officiating
The head of the Referees Committee added: "Refereeing worldwide involves mistakes, and we cannot consider Egyptian referees as angels nor foreign referees. The levels around the world are similar, especially with the presence of VAR technology, which has significantly impacted refereeing talent. A referee in South America differs from one in Europe and Africa, as each federation has its own standards and unique style. A single ball may be awarded as a free kick in one country while not in another, and the atmosphere of matches in South America is completely different from that in Egypt."
Head of the Referees Committee: I Oppose Foreign Officiating
Abdel Fattah continued: "We are making efforts to provide our best and develop the system because we have been a bit behind. This referee managed the Belgium vs. France match, so is it reasonable for any other referee to manage a high-stakes match? Certainly, it should be managed by an elite referee, and luck plays an important role. I firmly oppose foreign officiating and hope to restore confidence in Egyptian refereeing. We have a budget for bringing in foreign referees, and we communicate with major leagues. If we reach out to other leagues like the African ones, will both teams accept that? They will not accept because every referee would have officiated a previous match involving either of them in Africa, and I cannot guarantee bringing in error-free referees; a referee can make mistakes or get it right."
Essam Abdel Fattah Comments on Zamalek's Complaint
He concluded by saying: "It is absolutely incorrect that the Referees Committee was influenced by the campaign it faced before the start of the league, or that it intentionally favors one club over another. We care about achieving fairness among all clubs, and when we make a mistake, we acknowledge our error and respect Al Ahly, Zamalek, and all clubs. This is a foreign referee, and we do not favor one club over another. The situation in Egyptian officiating last year forced us to bring in a foreign referee for the derby match, and I oppose foreign officiating, so do not blame us for the mistakes of a foreign referee. Anyone has the right to object to officiating, and those who wish to see our correspondence regarding the appointment of the derby referee, we do not mind that; this is a step towards transparency. The Football Association will present Zamalek's complaint to us, and we will respond to it. We are not against anyone, and I cannot guarantee that the referee will perform well in the match, even if he is the best referee in the world, and we only bear responsibility for Egyptian referees.
