adminCairo giants Zamalek announced they would withdraw from the Egyptian league in protest at the refereeing of their 3-2 defeat to Tala’ea El-Gaish. The reigning champions’ board said in a statement after Sunday’s match that it objected to the referee’s “wrong” decisions to send off defender Ali Gabr, and award Tala’ea a penalty.
The statement said the club had objected against the choice of the referee, Mahmoud al-Banna, prior to the match. “It appears there was an objective to appointing Banna to referee the match, to hinder Zamalek’s march,” the statement said.
Tala’ea scored two penalties after six and 56 minutes. The first penalty came after the referee ruled that Gabr had tripped an attacker. Banna awarded Tala’ea another penalty when Hazem Imam blocked Alaa Ali in the penalty box.
Zamalek’s next scheduled match is tomorrow, against Ghazl El Mahalla. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone has rejected demands by Fifa to reinstate its dissolved football association, cautioning the world governing body yesterday to “respect national laws”.
Fifa has given the west African nation tomorrow to comply with the directive or risk an immediate ban from all international competition.
“Our decision stands and it’ll not be changed,” Ibrahim Bangura, of the National Sports Council (NSC), told reporters in the capital Freetown.
“The Ministry of Sport and the Sports Council have the responsibility to govern sports in Sierra Leone and will stand by the decision to dissolve the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA).
“Fifa must follow procedures and respect national laws. Our decision is final and can’t be changed or overturned by anyone outside our jurisdiction.”
Deputy sports minister Ismael Al-Sankoh Conteh said the NSC had been forced to take action last week after the SLFA dissolved a seven-man committee set up to identify delegates for the association’s next congress.
The NSC says the committee was set up by Fifa and endorsed by Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma.
Fifa outlaws government interference in the running of football and frequently suspends national associations, with Kuwait, Nigeria and Cameroon among the most recent targets for sanctions.—Supersport.
Online Reporter