Essam Abdel Fattah: Al Ahly Deserved Penalty Against Eastern Company

Essam Abdel Fattah, head of the referees committee, spoke about the performance of the referees in the first round of the Egyptian Premier League, praising them and confirming that their performance exceeded his expectations.

Issam Abdel Fattah stated in radio comments on "Radio On Sport": "I was surprised by the refereeing performance in the first round, and I did not expect the referees to perform at this level. I anticipated the performance to be much lower than that."

He added: "The performance of the referees in the first round of the Egyptian League exceeded all expectations for the referees' committee. We had 10 matches, and VAR only intervened in one case, which indicates the concentration of the referees and the impact of the training camps on their performance."

The head of the referees committee spoke about Hamada El-Qalawy, the referee for the match between Ceramica Cleopatra and Al-Qanah, saying: "Hamada El-Qalawy was in a very bad psychological state, but we supported him and stood by him. He managed the match between Ceramica and Al-Qanah with great efficiency, awarding 3 penalties and a red card without going to VAR."

Regarding the controversial officiating incident during the Al Ahly vs. Eastern Company match, Abdul Fattah stated: "Controversial cases like the one that occurred in the Al Ahly match, we gather as a committee and review them from all angles that clarify the correct picture of the situation."

He explained: "All members of the Referee Committee agreed that Al Ahly deserved a penalty, and the referee's decision was correct. Ben Charki could have scored the goal were it not for the intervention of the Eastern Company defender."

Regarding the possibility of assigning Al Ahly matches to referee Mamdouh Wafa during the current season, he responded: "God willing, but we must choose the right time and ensure things are a bit calmer. In the right opportunity, Mamdouh Wafa could officiate for Al Ahly again."