Egypt’s Amputee National Team Coach Accuses Officials of Unfair Refereeing, Pledges to Battle for World Cup Qualification
Mert Baher, coach of the Egyptian Amputee National Football Team, expressed his disappointment at the national team’s loss to Morocco and their failure to qualify for the final stages of the African Cup of Nations for amputee football.
The Egyptian team suffered a 4-2 defeat against Morocco in the quarter-finals held yesterday evening in the African Cup of Nations for amputee football, hosted by Egypt from May 18 to 27 at the Qatameya Club’s Petro Sport Stadium.
The Egyptian national team coach attributed the loss to refereeing mistakes, stating that the players managed to stage a comeback after trailing by two goals and equalizing before the end of regular time. He remarked, “The Moroccan team players acted violently, resulting in injuries to two of the Egyptian team players due to the referees’ failure to protect them. We also had a goal disallowed, and there were two goals by the Moroccan team from fouls not awarded by the match referee.”
Baher concluded, “I am saddened by the loss of the championship dream, but the dream of qualifying for the World Cup is still alive, and we will fight for it.”
The national team is set to face Liberia tomorrow, Saturday, in the ranking matches, where they have a chance to qualify for the next amputee football World Cup.
The national team comprises 15 players: Goalkeepers: Mahmoud Hanafy, Mahmoud Saber, Islam Magdy. Defenders: Mostafa Mahmoud, Ibrahim Ahmed, Ibrahim Ali, Ahmed Mohamed.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Abdel Azim, Islam Mohamed Fayez, Mohamed Ahmed Hassan.
Forwards: Hosni Mubarak, Abdullah Mostafa, Zaher Mohamed Zaher, Eid Saeed, Ashraf Ismail Ibrahim.
The championship committees are led by Dr. Sherif Abu Al-Enein as the tournament manager, Islam Abd El Aziz the head of the volunteers committee, Nermeen Hegazy the head of the accommodation and transfers committee, Engy Mohamed the head of the media committee, Dr. Sameh El Sayed the head of the medical committee, and Dr. Manar Ali the head of the information technology committee.
The championship is organized under the oversight of the Egyptian Paralympic Committee, headed by Dr. Hossam El-Din Moustafa, Mohamed Adel Hosny the head of the amputee football committee, Sarah Samir the vice-chair of the amputee football committee, and Khaled Abdel-Hafez member of the amputee football committee.
