Somali referee Omar Artan awaits approval to officiate in Egyptian Premier League

Somali referee Omar Artan could officiate in the Egyptian Premier League after the Somali Football Federation submitted an official request, according to Egyptian Referees Committee chairman Essam Abdel Fattah.

Abdel Fattah said he had no objection to the proposal but stressed that the move requires approval from the Egyptian Football Association before it can proceed.

“I sent an official letter from the Somali Federation requesting to referee in the Egyptian League. I do not mind that, but we are waiting for the approval of the Egyptian Federation, and if the Football Association agrees, we will host him in the Egyptian League as soon as possible.”

Abdel Fattah also clarified that Artan had contacted him, but not with the specific aim of officiating the upcoming Al-Ahly versus Zamalek derby.

Slovenian official selected for Cairo derby

Abdel Fattah also explained how the committee settled on Slovenian referee Rade Obrionovic to officiate the Cairo derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek, scheduled for Sunday, 11 October, at Cairo Stadium.

The match is part of the sixth round of the Egyptian League.

According to Abdel Fattah, the committee contacted the associations of five major European leagues in search of a referee for the high-profile fixture.

Germany, England and Italy declined to provide officials, while Portugal responded too late and did not have an elite refereeing team available. The Spanish options were also considered unsuitable.

Abdel Fattah said he personally approached several referees, but they turned down the opportunity because of existing commitments, including Champions League matches. The committee eventually selected Obrionovic, whom he described as the best referee in Slovenia.

Referees chief defends match officials

Abdel Fattah defended referees amid criticism of officiating in Egypt, arguing that such scrutiny is not unique to Egyptian football but is also experienced in major European leagues.

He said referees are often viewed as the weakest link in football, making it difficult for officials to earn widespread support from fans.

He also noted that leagues in Spain, France and Italy do not use foreign referees to officiate their domestic matches, regardless of the standard of local officiating.

Abdel Fattah explains Mahmoud Ashour’s departure

The referees chief also addressed Mahmoud Ashour’s decision to leave the committee, describing the development as a case of Ashour apologising for his continued involvement.

Abdel Fattah said Ashour had initially wanted to pursue work in the media before agreeing to join the committee following discussions. He later made a final decision to step away, which Abdel Fattah said he respected.

The committee is also working to improve referees’ psychological well-being through individual sessions, with plans to seek support from specialists in the future.

Abdel Fattah revealed that some referees had already turned to psychological professionals because of frustration, highlighting the mental pressures officials face in the game.