The Egyptian Olympic Committee (EOC) has rejected Al Ahly’s complaints against the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and the Egyptian Professional League (EPL) regarding the recent Cairo Derby controversy.
The EOC confirmed Al Ahly’s forfeiture from the Cairo derby and the sanction of points being deducted.
What happened?
The Cairo Derby between Al Ahly and Zamalek was scheduled for March 11 as part of the first round of the Nile Egyptian League championship phase. However, the match did not go as planned.
Initially, the EPL had decided that a foreign crew would officiate the game. However, the EFA later decided to assign an Egyptian crew citing lack of time to request a foreign crew, a decision Al Ahly strongly opposed. The club refused to play under these conditions citing the earlier ruling.
On the day of the match, Zamalek, the appointed Egyptian referees and the fans were all present at the stadium—except for Al Ahly. As a result, the club was deemed to have forfeited the match. The EPL subsequently ruled that Al Ahly would be considered losers of the game and deducted an additional three points at the end of the season as a penalty for their withdrawal.
EOC’s verdict and Al Ahly’s next move
Al Ahly took the case to the Egyptian Olympic Committee, appealing against the EFA and EPL’s decision. However, the EOC upheld the ruling, confirming Al Ahly’s forfeiture and the additional point deduction.
Despite this, Al Ahly is not expected to back down. The club is likely to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Impact on the title race and continental participation
Al Ahly currently sits second in the Nile Egyptian League table with 39 points, trailing league leaders Pyramids by four points. Zamalek follows behind in third place having 35 points.
Winning the Cairo Derby might have made Al Ahly only one point behind Pyramids.
If the three-point deduction is enforced, it could further impact Al Ahly’s participation in the CAF Champions League next season. The league champion and the runner-up qualify for the 2025-26 CAF Champions League while the third place finisher qualifies for the 2025-26 CAF Confederation Cup.
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