Written by Omnia Hassan
In a move that marks a new phase within the Egyptian refereeing system, the board of directors of the Egyptian Football Association announced the termination of the contract with Colombian expert Oscar Ruiz, head of the referees committee, thus ending a journey that continued amidst controversy surrounding the performance of the refereeing system during the past season.
Official decision and reshuffling of papers
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed in an official statement the termination of the contract with Oscar Ruiz, thanking him and the members of the Referees Committee and the Technical Committee for their efforts throughout the past season, as part of a plan to restructure the committee and prepare for the new football season.
The decision comes at a time when the federation's management is seeking to develop the refereeing system and restore the confidence of clubs and fans, after a season that witnessed many controversial refereeing cases, which opened the door to widespread criticism.
A temporary committee until the new president is chosen
The Football Association’s board of directors decided to assign the referees’ department to run the committee’s work temporarily, until the referees’ committee is fully restructured, with the matter to be resolved during the board meeting expected before the end of July.
This measure aims to ensure that work within the committee continues uninterrupted, while preparations for the new season continue according to a new organizational vision.
Between foreign expert and Egyptian competence
The Football Association has already begun studying a number of scenarios for selecting the new head of the Referees Committee, with the choice being between appointing one of the former Egyptian referees who have administrative and technical experience, or contracting with a new foreign expert to lead the refereeing development project during the next stage.
The federation's management seeks to select a figure capable of raising the level of referees and developing qualification and training programs, in line with international standards and reducing the refereeing errors that have sparked controversy in recent seasons.
Anticipation of what comes after the dismissal
The Egyptian sports community is awaiting the identity of the new head of the referees committee, as it is considered an influential step in the future of local refereeing.
Observers believe that the next stage will be a real test of the Football Association’s ability to build a more stable and efficient refereeing system, which will positively impact the level of competitions and enhance fairness within Egyptian stadiums.
