The UAE Volleyball Federation, in an official statement issued yesterday, mourned the death of Egyptian international referee Yahya Ambar, who passed away at the age of 59 after undergoing treatment abroad. This news sent a shockwave through the volleyball community. The late referee is considered one of the pioneers in the field of officiating in UAE local tournaments. He began his career in refereeing in 1997 and continued his service without interruption for nearly three decades, cementing his status as one of the most experienced and competent referees, before being forced to step down at the beginning of the current season due to health conditions that required him to travel abroad for treatment.A responsible source in the Volleyball Federation revealed that after returning from his treatment trip, the late referee made sure to contact the federation's board members and employees, sending them a heartfelt message in which he informed them of his decision to retire from refereeing. He explained that despite his improved health, he preferred to step away from work pressures and take the step of retiring, wishing to dedicate his time to rest and stabilize his health condition.The source told "Al-Ittihad" that this decision was met with persistent attempts by some federation officials to persuade him to reconsider it, considering his technical value and vast experience in the refereeing field, but the late referee stuck to his decision, preferring to end his long career on his own terms after years of fruitful service and achievements.The source added: "Yahya Ambar remained in constant contact with his colleagues at the federation in the last few days, exchanging friendly messages via WhatsApp and checking on the progress of work, before everyone was surprised by the news of his death, a painful moment considered a great loss, not only for volleyball but for sports in general."During his career, he officiated in more than 300 international and world matches and was a constant presence in tournaments hosted by the UAE, whether at the national team or club level, missing no major event, which made him a fixed name in major competitions and a trusted figure for officials and organizers.
