Mohamed Adel has come forward with a stunning revelation about the person behind last season’s infamous VAR leak that rocked Egyptian football.
Speaking on live television, the respected referee identified a former referees’ committee member as the source who passed the clip to a journalist, sparking a media storm.
The leaked footage, which captured Adel’s VAR exchange with Mohamed Salama during Zamalek’s dramatic 3-2 win over National Bank, aired as Zamalek prepared for a last-minute penalty. The timing of the leak raised eyebrows and triggered a wave of speculation and blame.
Though the Egyptian judiciary later cleared Adel of wrongdoing, the referee admitted the ordeal was both painful and eye-opening. “It taught me a hard lesson,” he said, pointing to the dangers of mishandling VAR footage.
Adel expressed disappointment that the Egyptian Football Association took no concrete steps to investigate or protect him. He also criticized former colleagues for their silence and described the internal EFA investigation as a “black comedy.”
Meanwhile, two media figures were convicted by the Cairo Economic Court for broadcasting the clip.
