Mohamed Farouk, the former head of the referees committee, confirms that joining the Egyptian Football Association is his next destination.

To start, how do you view the standard of Egyptian refereeing this season?

It is still early to pass judgment on the performance of Egyptian referees this season, as only 6 or 7 weeks have passed in the league, making it difficult to make decisions at this point.

But do you have any initial impressions about the standard so far?

Overall, the level is good in the Premier League, but there are unexpected mistakes in the Professional League and the Second Division, and the referees' committee needs to "pay attention" to these errors and work on correcting them. Continuing these mistakes amid the intensity and difficulty of upcoming matches could lead to disasters.

How do you evaluate Essam Abdel Fattah as the head of the referees' committee so far?

I previously mentioned that Essam Abdel Fattah's success in the referees' committee depends on the team he works with and his ability to manage them to achieve the best results for Egyptian refereeing. However, it is still too early to judge Essam Abdel Fattah's performance in his current term.

What is your comment on Mahmoud Ashour's recent resignation?

I think he was clear in his position, but he should have made his decision before joining the committee for a short period and then resigning.

Could you join the current referees' committee?

My position is clear on this matter; I will only accept the presidency of the referees' committee or a membership in the federation's board after having served as a deputy with some foreign experts in the previous period.

Who would be better to lead the referees' committee in your opinion, an Egyptian or a foreigner?

Frankly, if the Football Association is strong, then the best choice is an Egyptian head for the referees' committee. If the association is weak, it should seek a foreign expert to lead the committee.

What do you think about the news regarding the international list?

There is nothing officially announced, and I prefer not to discuss rumors.

How do you see Khaled El Ghandour's inclusion in the international list?

Honestly, regardless of his father, Gamal El Ghandour, the deputy head of the committee, Khaled El Ghandour deserves to be included in the international list due to his outstanding performance in the past period.

Do you think there are referees who have been wronged in recent years, especially during Oscar Ruiz's tenure?

I believe that Mahmoud Banna and Mohamed Adel were wronged, as they could have continued officiating for another year or two, given that they regularly participated in CAF tournaments.

Did the Football Association interfere in your work while you were in the committee?

Absolutely not; there was no interference in the committee's work throughout my time there, and I would never accept such a thing.

What is the difference between Mark Clattenburg's and Lee Probert's tenures?

Clattenburg spent most of his time in Greece, which affected him, while the circumstances were against Probert, and he could not complete his project.

Do you think Mahmoud Wafa will return to officiate Al Ahly matches?

Yes, and I believe the referees' committee should choose the right time to involve him in Al Ahly matches. Although he made a mistake in the match against Ceramica last season, he is human, and no referee is infallible.

Did you support the referees' committee's decision to bring in a foreign referee for the last match?

Yes, because it was "inappropriate" for an Egyptian referee to officiate the recent Cairo derby between Al Ahly and Zamalek. The committee found that the regulations allow clubs to request foreign referees, so the decision was out of their hands.

How would you rate the Slovenian referee's performance?

I would give him a score of 6.5 out of 10.

Did Zamalek deserve two penalties against Al Ahly?

No, I agree with the Slovenian referee's decision not to award Zamalek any penalties in the derby match.

Finally, when will the crisis of exchanged statements among Egyptian refereeing figures come to an end?

When tempers cool down, and I believe it is necessary to form a committee of wise figures from the refereeing community to resolve the crises among referees, such as the one between Essam Abdel Fattah and Jihad Grisha, to preserve the dignity and image of referees.