Egyptian media came under fire after staying largely silent on a refereeing controversy involving Egypt, in a moment many fans described as a clear case of double standards.
During the match, the referee was accused of ignoring an obvious penalty for Benin, after what appeared to be a clear foul inside the box. While the incident quickly spread online and sparked debate among supporters, it did not receive the same level of criticism from Egyptian outlets that have previously attacked referees in matches involving Morocco.
The reaction on social media focused on what fans saw as unfair treatment in the way refereeing decisions are discussed. Many pointed to past coverage, where Egyptian media strongly highlighted controversial calls against Morocco, but appeared to “overlook” a similar situation when the debate involved their own national team.
The incident reignited wider arguments about how football controversies are covered in the region, especially when the same kind of decision leads to completely different reactions depending on the team involved.
What was revealed in this case, according to the wave of comments that followed, was the clear contrast between the harsh tone used in some Egyptian media coverage when Morocco is involved and the calm or absent reaction when the controversy benefits Egypt.
