Essam Abdel Fattah, head of the Referees Committee, stated that he was surprised by the level displayed by the referees during the first round of the Egyptian Premier League, pointing out that the performance greatly exceeded his expectations.
In a radio interview on On Sport Radio, Essam Abdel Fattah said: “I was surprised by the refereeing performance in the first round. I did not expect the referees to perform at this level, and I anticipated the performance to be much lower.”
He added: “The performance of the referees in the first round of the Egyptian League exceeded all expectations for the Referees Committee. We played 10 matches, and VAR intervened in only one instance, which indicates the referees' focus and the impact of the training camps on their performance.”
The head of the Referees Committee spoke about Hamada El-Qalawy, the referee for the Ceramica Cleopatra vs. El Qana match, saying: “Hamada El-Qalawy was in a very poor mental state, but we supported him and stood by his side. He managed the Ceramica vs. El Qana match with great efficiency, awarding three penalties and a red card without referring to VAR.”
He continued: “I am happy with Hamada El-Qalawy's performance in the Ceramica vs. El Qana match, as he is an international referee.”
Regarding the controversial refereeing incident during the Al Ahly vs. El Sharqia Enppi match, Abdel Fattah said: “For controversial cases like the one that occurred in the Al Ahly match, we, as a committee, gather and review it from all angles that clarify the correct picture of the incident.”
He clarified: “All members of the Referees Committee agreed that Al Ahly deserved a penalty, and the referee's decision was correct. Ben Cherki was able to score the goal had it not been for the intervention of an El Sharqia Enppi defender.”
Regarding the incident where a coach directed the phrase “You don't understand” at a referee, he said: “The phrase ‘You don't understand’ is difficult, and respect must prevail among all parties in the system.”
He added: “The coach's punishment is not within my jurisdiction, but rather that of the Competitions Committee. I hope there is a graduated approach to misconduct, and it is possible that we can sit with the league and discuss to reach the best solution that benefits the sports system.”
Essam Abdel Fattah concluded his statements by saying: “I am very happy with the performance of the teams and referees in the first round, and all clubs presented good matches.”
Regarding the possibility of assigning Al Ahly matches to referee Mahmoud Wafa during the current season, he replied: “God willing, but the right time must be chosen and things need to be a bit calmer. At the right opportunity, Mahmoud Wafa can referee for Al Ahly again.”
