Sayed Abdel Hafiz, a board member of Al Ahly Club, criticized the Egyptian Football Association's decision to prevent him from attending the hearing session regarding the referees' discussions in the Ceramica Cleopatra match, asserting his club's insistence on its right to choose its representative.

Abdel Hafiz confirmed in statements to journalists after leaving the headquarters of the Football Association that Al Ahly is well aware of how to defend its rights, emphasizing that the club is the original decision-maker in determining its representatives in such sessions.

He explained that his presence at the federation's headquarters was in protest against a decision he described as illegal, pointing out that there is no regulation preventing him from being there with an official mandate from the club.

A member of Al-Ahly's board of directors questioned the legal basis for the decision, explaining that if there are changes within the technical or administrative staff before the session, it becomes natural for one of the board members to represent the club.

The crisis escalated after the Al-Ahly delegation left the Football Association's headquarters without the hearing session taking place, due to the absence of the authorized individuals as specified by the association.

The Al Ahly delegation included Sayed Abdel Hafeez, Gamal Gaber, and Nasser Abbas, along with a sound expert, in an attempt to attend the session and listen to the video technology recordings related to the match.

The Football Association, in an official letter, specified that only two people from the technical or administrative staff who were present in the technical area during the match could attend the session, which led to Abdel Hafiz being excluded from attending.

Al Ahly club, in a previous official letter, insisted on its right to appoint whoever it deems appropriate to attend the session, emphasizing that there is no legal provision granting the federation the authority to determine the identity of club representatives.

Al-Ahly pointed out that the hearing has a legal nature, not just a technical one, especially given its connection to the appeals submitted regarding arbitration decisions and penalties issued after the match.

These developments came in the wake of the 1-1 draw between Al Ahly and Ceramica Cleopatra, in a match that witnessed widespread refereeing controversy after a penalty was not awarded to Al Ahly in the final moments.

Al-Ahly demanded access to the conversations between the on-field referee and the video assistant referee, as part of its efforts to ensure transparency, based on what it described as its legitimate right in such cases.

The current crisis keeps the door open for escalation between Al Ahly Club and the Football Association, as they await the outcomes of investigations and the anticipated decisions in the coming period.