Video: Head of the Referees’ Committee states that the Al Ahly incident was not a penalty and insists that the World Cup will vindicate his stance

Ruiz backed referee Mahmoud Wafa’s decision to deny Al Ahly a penalty, explaining that Ceramica defender Ahmed Hani’s arm was in a natural position and there was no deliberate attempt to block the ball.

He added that a player cannot run with his hands pinned to his back, and keeping them by his side is standard practice in the game.

“A player doesn’t run with his arms behind his back like a penguin,” he explained. “If the hand is raised forward or upward, it’s a penalty. But if it’s behind the body, the player is simply trying to avoid the ball.”

The head of the Referees’ Committee compared the incident to a similar one in the Pyramids–Al-Masry match, which resulted in a penalty for Al-Masry.

He stressed that, from a refereeing standpoint, the two incidents were distinct: in the earlier clip, a Pyramids player had deliberately raised his hand to block the ball, which he classified as a “block” and therefore a foul.

Ruiz stressed that the application of the rules will be more apparent in major tournaments, explaining that fans will see the validity of these interpretations during World Cup matches, which use the same refereeing standards.

The Referees’ Committee chairman also praised the rising standard of Egyptian officiating, pointing out that four Egyptian referees will feature at the 2026 World Cup—proof, he said, of the “quality of work within the system”.

He also condemned personal attacks on referees, warning that some criticism has crossed the line—including threats against their families—and underlined the importance of respecting every member of the football community.

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