Sunday November 3rd, 2024
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Egyptian Football Players Face a Year-Long Ban for Unauthorised Interviews

Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse.

Staff Writer

Egyptian Football Players Face a Year-Long Ban for Unauthorised Interviews

A couple of Egyptian football players will be facing a year-long ban, as well as paying a fine for partaking in unauthorised interviews with a Saudi state channel. The players allegedly accepted $5,000 for these interviews.

According to Al Ahram, representatives from the Saudi networks snuck into the players’ rooms a day before the Egypt-Russia match to conduct these interviews. Hany Abu Rida—president of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA)— clarifies that partaking in unofficial interviews is a violation to the EFA’S sponsorship deals.

“I instructed Ihab Lehita, [Egypt’s team director], to take a firm stance over the interviews that were done for a satellite television channel,” Abu Rida said on Tuesday.

Consequently, Mido—Egypt’s renowned football player—took to social media to express his concern with the penalties.

In English: “The decision of of the EFA to investigate and impose sanctions on the players involved is a great decision, but wouldn’t it also be fair to include the team’s director to ask them how these meetings were secretly conducted?”

This season has been a letdown for all Egyptian football fans, as this news follows the recent loss we faced in the World Cup after a 28-year gap.

The national team are now searching for a new coach to replace ex-coach Hector Cuper.

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