Zamalek Club issued a statement confirming its rejection of the decision to cancel the penalty of deducting points from Al Ahly following the crisis of the last Cairo derby match.

It is worth noting that the Egyptian Clubs Association considered Zamalek the winner of the derby match 3-0, with points deducted from Al Ahly and bearing the financial losses resulting from Al Ahly's withdrawal from the match due to its objection to the non-appointment of a foreign refereeing team.

Al Ahly refused to play the match against Zamalek in the first round of the second stage of the Egyptian Premier League due to the failure to respond to its request for foreign referees to officiate the match.

For its part, the association decided in a new statement yesterday, Sunday, to uphold the derby penalties regarding Zamalek being considered the winner and for Al Ahly to bear all financial losses, but the decision to deduct 3 points, aside from the points related to the match, was canceled.

The Zamalek Board of Directors confirmed, through an official statement, its firm rejection of any blatant attempts to circumvent the penalties previously announced by the Egyptian Professional Clubs Association concerning the events surrounding the 130th derby match on March 11.

Zamalek added in its statement: "The club insists on its right and the right of its fans to apply the regulations governing the league competition and not to backtrack on them regardless of the circumstances, and it is unacceptable to reach this level of managing the competition in a way that confirms that the league has lost the simplest rules of professional conduct."

It continued: "In light of this chaotic and absurd scene, the Zamalek Board of Directors announces that it will not accept the loss of the club's rights in any form and will escalate the matter to the furthest possible point with the relevant authorities inside and outside Egypt without waiving the club's rights."

It concluded: "As we have become accustomed to dealing with utmost transparency with our great fans everywhere, the Board of Directors will not stand idly by in protecting the rights of the club and its fans, specifically regarding the penalties of the last derby match, and all necessary steps will be taken to protect the club's rights no matter the cost."