FILE - A snapshot of Zamalek and Ahly Premier League match without the presence of Ahly players in the stadium. Photo courtesy of ON Sports Youtube.
The Cairo giants described the latest EFA ruling as a “blatant violation of the principles of fairness and sporting integrity,” vowing to pursue all legal avenues to defend their rights.
On Thursday, the EFA appeals committee stated that it has no authority to overturn the Egyptian Pro League (EPL) board’s controversial decision to reduce Ahly’s punishment from a six-point deduction to three points.
The appeals committee reasoned that only CAS has the jurisdiction to invalidate or override the league’s bylaws.
On 11 March, Ahly failed to show up for a derby match against Zamalek. They protested the appointment of an Egyptian referee to officiate the fixture after their request for a foreign referee was denied. The referee waited 15 minutes at Cairo International Stadium before officially calling off the match.
Following the no-show, the EPL's competitions committee awarded Zamalek a 3-0 win, docked Ahly three additional points, and imposed financial penalties. But the EPL board later reduced the punishment to a single three-point deduction, sparking criticism from Zamalek and fellow title contenders Pyramids FC.
Zamalek’s statement said the club will seek a full reinstatement of the original sanctions, which it believes reflect “a clear and complete case of withdrawal.”
The club stressed that the revised ruling undermines the league’s credibility and jeopardizes the principle of equal treatment among teams.
"Zamalek will not relent in its pursuit of justice and will take all necessary measures to ensure the regulations are applied fairly across the board," the statement concluded.
With only two matches remaining in the domestic league, Ahly sit atop the league standings with 52 points, narrowly ahead of second-placed Pyramids FC on 50 points.
Zamalek, sitting third with 41 points, lost all hope of clinching a domestic league title this season after losing to Pyramids FC on Wednesday.
However, according to local media, Pyramids FC, still hoping to claim their first-ever domestic league title, are also expected to lodge their own appeal against the EFA ruling to CAS.
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