Zamalek rule out Egyptian Premier League withdrawal after Al-Ahly refereeing row

Zamalek have ruled out withdrawing from the Egyptian Premier League despite their continued protests over refereeing decisions in their recent Cairo derby defeat by Al-Ahly.

The club’s media director, Maher Gharib, said Zamalek remained committed to their position but insisted the dispute had not reached the point where withdrawal from the competition was being considered.

Gharib, speaking on Al-Nahar television, said he had personally drafted the club’s statements following the match in coordination with the board of directors.

He added that the statements were based on facts and reflected the club’s official position rather than the personal opinions of individual board members.

Zamalek have formally asked the Egyptian Football Association to allow them to listen to the video assistant referee (VAR) conversations from the derby.

According to Gharib, the club sent an official letter to the association on Wednesday, requesting access to the recordings and setting a 48-hour deadline for a response.

He described the request as a legitimate right of the club and said Zamalek would maintain their stance on the disputed incidents.

“We are sticking to our point of view, especially after listening to the opinions of many refereeing experts who supported our position,” Gharib said.

He added that the club had evidence to support its complaints, particularly regarding incidents involving Al-Ahly’s Marwan Attia and Zamalek’s Chico Banza.

Gharib also highlighted an incident involving Banza and Al-Ahly defender Ashraf Dari, claiming the defender had pushed the Zamalek forward on three occasions.

The controversy has intensified tensions between the two Egyptian giants following their latest meeting, with Zamalek demanding clarification over the officiating decisions.

However, Gharib stressed that the club would continue to compete in the league while pursuing its complaints through the appropriate channels.

“Zamalek will not withdraw from the league,” he said. “The dispute has not reached the stage of withdrawing from the competition, but we are holding firm to our point of view regarding what happened in the summit match.”