Espérance responds strongly to African accusations and escalates the refereeing crisis in Tunisia

The crisis between Espérance Tunis and Club Africain has entered a new phase of escalation, after Espérance issued an official statement to respond to accusations from their traditional rivals regarding refereeing errors in the Tunisian league, accusing them of trying to justify their modest results by stirring controversy over the performance of the referees.

Espérance's response follows a statement issued by Club Africain on Sunday, in which they directed sharp criticisms at the refereeing committee and several match officials, including those who officiated matches for the rival team, amid growing objections to refereeing decisions during the recent rounds of the competition.

Club Africain has pointed out repeated refereeing errors that it claims have harmed its interests, while stating that Espérance have benefited from certain decisions. The club is calling for accountability for those responsible for managing the refereeing system and for authorities to reconsider the performance of the refereeing committee.

Esperance did not delay in responding, accusing the management of Africain of adopting an escalatory rhetoric that includes accusations and incitement, considering that the purpose of this is to cover up the results achieved by the team in recent times, despite what it described as support received from the state and the Tunisian Football Federation to overcome its previous crises.

Espérance de Tunis stated: "The management board of Espérance was surprised by a statement issued by Club Africain that directly mentioned our club without any reservations. While we at Espérance Tunis are not surprised by such discourse, we note, on the other hand, an unprecedented decline in the level of sports discourse, in a precedent that reflects a notable deterioration in the way positions are expressed."

The statement added that Club Africain has been accustomed, according to the description by the management of Espérance, to using rhetoric that touches on issues related to public security, hinting at incitement and directing accusations without considering the repercussions of these statements, noting that such positions have not been met with a response from the relevant authorities.

Espérance have sharply criticized their traditional rival, recalling what they described as suspicions surrounding some of their positive results over the past three decades, specifically regarding what happened last season concerning the use of video technology on two occasions before the arrival of the Austrian referee.

In the context of its attack, Espérance hinted at the African Club receiving financial support from the authorities and the Tunisian Football Federation during its previous crises, pointing to financial and administrative interventions that took place in a previous period to settle outstanding issues, end strikes, and welcome players, all during the week of the derby match in one of the past seasons.

Espérance de Tunis management has confirmed that it has endured for years what it described as campaigns of misinformation and distortions, but it will not continue to remain silent in the face of what it considers an infringement on the club's rights and its fans.

The statement emphasized that the team's management is responsible to millions of fans for defending the club's rights and the dignity of its supporters, affirming that it will not allow any disrespect towards the team or disregard for the feelings of its supporters.

In the Tunisian league standings, Espérance are in second place with 16 points after 7 rounds, while Club Africain are in fourth place with 13 points, intensifying the rivalry between the two clubs both on and off the pitch.