Complaints against referees have never been strange in Egyptian football but things have not remained as stable as they were, with criticism turning into accusations to signal a free-for-all for clubs and media personnel. Ahli's controversial 2-1 league victory over ENPPI last Thursday has seemingly marked a new era in which the referees' integrity could be questioned as much as their performance is assessed. ENPPI had two goals wrongfully disallowed for offside as leaders Ahli, who arch-rivals Zamalek traditionally think are favored by the Egyptian FA and government officials, moved a step closer to winning a sixth consecutive league triumph. A barrage of severe criticism, accusations and insults against referees, who were represented by Samir Othman in the ENPPI-Ahli game, then incited heated debates that included many rude comments. Fans regularly accuse referees of favoring opposing teams on internet message boards but what makes the current saga special is that club officials and several renowned pundits participated in such discussions. It might be the first time that accusations of favoritism become that public in the football-mad country. "Othman should be handed a life ban for his role in Ahli's win over ENPPI," Al-Gomhuria columnist Mahmoud Maarouf wrote. "He deliberately made mistakes to gift Ahli a victory. If they (the EFA officials) want Ahli to win the title, they should make that clear. It would be a title won with forgery and deception." Zamalek, Ahli's main challengers at the top, released a statement to condemn what they described as 'shameful refereeing' while saying that the EFA's referees committee 'is driven by personal interests and whims'. ENPPI have also reacted, threatening to withdraw from the league if the match is not replayed. The EFA took a soft stance though as it opted against punishing those who launched scathing attacks on referees. The Samir Zaher-led association instead called on all parties involved 'to respect the referees in order not to put them under pressure which could affect their performances'. Unfortunate Consequences There are fears the new approach of the clubs and critics, which is yet to be dealt with by the EFA, might lead to unfortunate consequences should dreadful refereeing blunders occur again.
Referees attacked by everybody With few weeks remaining before the end of the season, a frantic finale at the top and bottom is on the cards and any costly errors from the referees could further ignite the run-in. "It is totally unacceptable to attack the referees," Hassan Saqr, head of the Egyptian National Sports Council, said. "The referee is like a judge, he should not be criticized that way. Such severe criticism stirs up hatred and inflames anger among the fans. "I hope the media could play a better role by discussing how to improve refereeing in Egyptian football." Whatever improvements that could be made, the human aspect of the game will continue to prevail. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has on many times objected to the use of video technology as he sought to retain 'the human nature of the sport'. Egyptian referees committee chief Mohamed Hossam agreed when he furiously responded to accusations of favoritism. "All the referees in the world make mistakes. Few months ago, Thierry Henry's handball helped France qualify for the World Cup," he shouted in a telephone interview with Modern Sport. "I do not bring angels to officiate the league games. They are humans who make mistakes, just like anybody else. "I could kill them if that will end the problem," Hossam added in a sarcastic tone. The referees, infuriated by the fierce criticism they face, have reportedly threatened to go on strike if the EFA did not stand by them in the ongoing row. The few coming weeks could prove to be decisive, with all parties anticipating any potential refereeing errors. The referees probably can not afford to make any more prominent mistakes this season if they are to avoid sustained pressure. They could wish the ground would swallow them up by then.
