Egyptian Referees Committee denies Al Ahly substitution controversy

The Egyptian Football Association’s Referees Committee has addressed the controversy surrounding an interaction between referee Mohamed Maarouf and Al Ahly football director Wael Gomaa during a match against ZED FC.

Following reports that Maarouf requested the substitution of Al Ahly player Ali Mahmoud to prevent a red card, the committee reviewed VAR recordings. The committee officially denied these claims, stating that no such request was made. Instead, the recordings revealed that the conversation was a response to Gomaa’s objection to a specific officiating decision regarding a potential penalty.

Essam Abdel Fattah, Chairman of the Referees Committee, noted that Maarouf denied the allegations and maintained the discussion was strictly about a non-penalty call. Abdel Fattah also addressed the concept of ‘preventative refereeing,’ where officials may warn players with yellow cards to avoid further infractions. The committee expressed support for the Supreme Council for Media Regulation’s decision to summon legal representatives from Al Hayah channel regarding the media coverage of the incident.