The management of Étoile Sportive du Sahel published a statement in which it expressed its deep indignation and condemned what it describes as oversteps and refereeing errors that marked the match of its team against Club Sportif Sfaxien. It believes that the events that occurred went beyond the boundaries of simple refereeing decisions and directly influenced the course and outcome of the match.
In its communiqué, the Etoile du Sahel management specifies that its reservations about referee Khaled Koweïder do not date from this match, but go back to the period preceding it. They concern, in particular, the scheduling date of the match, which the club says it had asked not to be changed from the outset, the designation of the officiating crew, as well as the appointment of the referee in question to lead the match, despite its prior opposition to this decision. The club cites, in this regard, antecedents and positions that, according to it, have eroded its confidence in the referee’s ability to officiate with impartiality and objectivity.
The Etoile du Sahel management adds that the course of the match only reinforced its reservations, noting several decisive refereeing mistakes that would have deprived the team of a result it deemed deserved and that weighed directly on the outcome of the match. It also emphasizes that the designation of a refereeing corps sharing the same sporting affiliation raises, in its view, questions about respect for the principles of equal opportunities and fairness among clubs.
Furthermore, the club’s management strongly condemned the conduct it attributes to referee Khaled Koweïder toward Etoile du Sahel supporters at the end of the match. It states that he allegedly directed insulting remarks at several supporters, in the presence of witnesses. According to the club, these events cannot be reduced to a simple outburst or a minor verbal slip, but would constitute serious behavior that harms the dignity of the supporters and their belonging to the club.
The Etoile du Sahel management states that these actions elicited the indignation of several people present and reaffirms its commitment to the right of its supporters not to endure any insults or affront to their dignity, whatever the circumstances. It also announces its intention to pursue legal action to defend the rights of the club’s supporters.
By contrast, the Etoile du Sahel management denies the remarks that the referee would have attributed to one of the club’s officials and that, according to the statement, would have been recorded on the match sheet. It regards these claims as unfounded and rejects what it calls attempts to distort the facts and to attribute erroneous statements to the club’s officials.
The management also revisits the mention, in the referee’s report, of a supposed throwing of flares onto the pitch. It states that such an incident never occurred and asks that the reasons behind recording events that, in its view, do not reflect reality be clarified.
In conclusion, the management of Etoile du Sahel calls on the competent sports authorities to open a serious and urgent investigation into all the alleged facts and to impose the necessary disciplinary sanctions against referee Khaled Koweïder. It also announces its categorical refusal to see him appointed in the future to direct any match in which Etoile du Sahel participates, stating that it will not remain passive in the face of actions likely to prejudice the club’s interests, its image, and the dignity of its supporters.
