A veteran referee, who gave football legend Pele a yellow card, has documented his on-field journey by setting up a “museum” for a treasure trove of decades-worth of football memorabilia.
Ebrahim Al Doy is Bahrain’s first internationally recognised football referee who was born in Muharraq in 1947 and began his career as a physical education teacher, from 1966 to 1982.
He then joined the former General Organisation for Youth and Sports. He was a volleyball player in the early 1960s and was one of the founding members of Al Hala Volleyball Club.
In September 1966, he joined the Bahrain Football Association as a referee, and was accepted as a level two and level three referee.
In 1970, he was nominated to be a FIFA International Referee.
Among the memorable moments in his 20-year career was issuing a yellow card to Brazilian football legend Pele during a game between Santos Club and the Bahrain National Football Team in Bahrain, and refereeing the game between Hungary and El Salvador in the 1982 World Cup group stages in Spain.
Mr Al Doy was honoured by His Majesty King Hamad in 2002 with a First Class Medal of Efficiency and was recently visited at his mini-museum in Muharraq by Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
“I have many unforgettable moments spanning over the decades of my career locally, regionally and globally and I wanted to document my journey for future generations to see that Bahrainis are able to achieve anything and everything on a global stage,” Mr Al Doy told the GDN.
“On February 16, 1973 the Brazilian Santos Club played against the Bahrain National Football Team as part of a GCC tour and football legend Pele objected to a decision I made on the field so I had to give him a yellow card.
“This incident is still talked about in the Bahraini community and even the King recalls it when we visit him on National Day and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, during national occasions.
“Another memorable incident occurred in Abu Dhabi during a tense game between Al Ain Club and Oman Club from Ras Al Khaimah, with an Al Ain player wanting to attack me at the end of the game.
“Immediately following the altercation UAE President Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan walked onto the field, protected me and escorted me to the referees’ room out of his love for Bahrain; I will never forget that incident even though it occurred on January 19, 1980.”
Alongside refereeing official matches, Mr Al Doy also held training courses for aspiring referees, took part in school tournaments and championships and received diplomas and certificates for training programmes abroad.
On the walls of his museum are displayed medals, badges, clothes, certificates, diplomas and many photographs documenting the decades he has spent on the football field.
“I was the only Gulf national and Arabic referee from among 200 global referees who took part in qualifying rounds held in Mexico City in 1980 to referee games in the 1982 World Cup,” added Mr Al Doy.
“I was nominated by the Asian Football Confederation to take part in these qualifying rounds and I was able to referee the famous game between Hungary and El Salvador in the 1982 World Cup Group Stages during which Hungary beat El Salvador 10 to 1.
“All of these moments and memories are very precious to me and I wanted to share them with the community and the rest of the athletic world.
“It is important for the youth to pursue their passions and believe in themselves because as Bahrainis we are known for our determination, dedication, loyalty and excellence in any field we venture into.”
reem@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))