Vitor Pereira, head of the Egypt Referees Committee, shed light on the rationale behind appointing a foreign refereeing team for the recent Al Ahly versus Zamalek Cup final in Egypt.
Speaking to DMC channel, the Portuguese official disclosed, “There might be former referees who wish for me to leave so they can take my place.
My position allows for only one person, and there were other candidates, so it makes sense.”
Pereira emphasized his motivation, stating, “My incentive is to work diligently, commit fully, and give our best every day to achieve our goals. Criticism is natural anywhere, and it will continue.”
Regarding his contract renewal, set to expire at the end of the current season, Pereira maintained, “It’s not important now. What matters is following the program I’ve set. When the Football Association decides to discuss this matter with me, we will.”
Explaining the decision to employ a foreign refereeing team for the summit clash in the Cup final, Pereira clarified, “The decision was made by the Football Association, so it’s the board that should explain the reasons behind it.”
“If the decision were mine, I would have assigned Egyptian referees for the match. Certainly, the next summit match will have an Egyptian refereeing team.
However, for the Cup final, it was a commercial decision due to financial returns, and based on this contract, the refereeing team was foreign,” he added.
Pereira stressed, “Any team that wants foreign referees should bear the expenses, and this has happened before.”
Concluding his remarks, Pereira asserted, “Referees cannot speak to the media. We have sufficient tools to solve problems within the committee and the Football Association. Our doors are always open.
If any referee wishes to speak, they should come to us. We must resolve issues internally, not in cafes or shops. We are always available to anyone.”
