A costly refereeing mistake in Ahli's Champions League semi final defeat at Esperance gave Egyptian media the perfect opportunity to re-launch their war against CAF. CAF occasionally comes under fire from the relentless local media, which sharpened knives for the African governing body even before Ahli took on Tunisia's Esperance in the last-four stage of the continent's elite competition. Ahli's 1-0 group-stage defeat at Algeria's JS Kabylie, which witnessed ugly scuffles at the end, had Egyptian media wondering how Togolese referee Kokou Djaoupe was chosen to take charge of such a tense and vital affair. Few weeks later, the Red Devils found themselves on the receiving end of an error by Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey that denied them what could have been a fifth appearance in the Champions League final in six years. A goal by Esperance striker Michael Eneramo, who used his forearm to steer a corner kick home at the far post, was astonishingly allowed to stand as the Tunisian outfit reached the final on the away goal rule after a 2-2 aggregate draw. "The process through which CAF selects the referees should be reconsidered," former Egyptian referee and current television pundit Gamal Al-Ghandour, who officiated at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, said. "CAF chooses the referees in African competitions in advance and this is totally wrong. For example, they assigned the Ahli-Ismaili game in Ismailia to renowned and respected referee Jerome Damon before the group stage began. "The match turned out to be a meaningless one at the end. CAF could have selected Damon instead for the Kabylie-Ahli game." Al-Ghandour, one of Africa's top referees in his days, also criticized the standard of refereeing in the Dark Continent. "Before my retirement, there were several good referees in Africa such as (Moroccan) Abderrahim El Arjoun, (Libyan) Abdelhakim Shelmani and (Mauritian) Lim Kee Chong," he added.
Warm reception for Ahli "But things are not so good now. CAF should be preparing the referees for the 2012 African Cup of Nations but their displays now are not promising." Conspiracy Theory Al-Ghandour's assessment did not include any questions over the integrity of CAF but the thoughts of other media personnel and the majority of Ahli's diehard fans were filled with the conspiracy theory. Ahli got off to a warm reception in Cairo despite their Champions League elimination, thanks in part to the overwhelming feeling that the six-time African champions unfairly exited the competition. Hundreds of supporters gathered at the Cairo airport to welcome their team, holding aloft banners mocking and insulting CAF and accusing it of prejudice. "Issa Hayatou, go to hell," read one of the banners which targeted the CAF president. "Cairo 2007, Rades 2010. We don't want to win fixed matches," another banner said, referring to Ahli's Champions League final loss to Esperance's compatriots Etoile Sahel three years ago which they also believed was fixed. Some pundits and journalists followed in the footsteps of Ahli's fans, underlining the 'biased' nature of CAF's decisions. "Ahli and the Egyptian national team are the victims of CAF's conspiracy," Al-Masry Al-Youm writer Ehab Al-Khatib said. "Although its headquarters is located in Cairo, it keeps wronging anything belonging to Egypt."
Lamptey under fire The supporters of the theory believe their cause was supported by the news that Malian Amadou Diakite, president of CAF's referee committee, was suspended by FIFA 'in relation to an alleged breach of the FIFA statutes linked to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups'. Others had a more calm approach, rebuking CAF for Lamptey's blunder but declining to question its integrity after underlining the fact that Egypt won three Nations Cup on the trot without any sort of 'unfair treatment'. Ahli Complaint Ahli coach Hossam Al-Badri fumed following his side's semi-final exit, going as far as hinting that he was not proud to be an African. But the club's board of directors preferred to go through the legal channels rather than publicly reprimanding CAF. They filed a complaint against Lamptey, who has been hitting headlines for the wrong reasons during the past week. "Ahli received an official letter from CAF today regarding the complaint the club submitted against Lamptey on October 19," the Cairo giants said on their official website on Saturday. "CAF confirmed that it would consider the complaint through its competent committees. "It would respond to the club once it ends the investigations." CAF denied sanctioning Lamptey one day earlier but stressed that its referee committee 'would do the required follow up and take sanctions if necessary to ensure that the highest standards of refereeing are maintained'. The outcome of Ahli's complaint will either allay the anti-CAF anger or inflame it.
