Essam Abdel Fattah, head of the Referees Committee, commented on the penalty kick awarded to Ashraf Ben Charqi, an Al-Ahly player, during their match against Sharqia Enppi, which sparked significant controversy in the Egyptian Premier League.
The head of the Referees Committee stated in remarks to On Sport FM radio: "The penalty would not have been awarded if the defender had jumped for the ball and attempted to reach it in the same manner as the attacker, or if the ball was in a position unreachable by either player."
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He added: "This situation is different because Ashraf Ben Charqi was able to reach the ball before being pushed, and all members of the Referees Committee agreed that Al-Ahly deserved the penalty, confirming the referee's decision was correct."
Regarding the dismissal of Mohamed Barakat, coach of Sharqia Enppi, he revealed: "The referee should have clarified the details of the incident in the official report sent to the clubs, but he refused to comment after the report was leaked, which is unacceptable."
Furthermore, Essam Abdel Fattah clarified referee Mahmoud Wafa's status concerning officiating Al-Ahly matches this season, following the controversy surrounding his assignment in a previous match last season: "We must choose the appropriate time when circumstances are relatively calm; at the right opportunity, Mahmoud Wafa can officiate an Al-Ahly match again."
He concluded: "Currently, there are four referees capable of officiating matches involving Al-Ahly and Zamalek: Mohamed El-Ghazi, Amin Omar, Mohamed Maarouf, and Mahmoud Naji."
