The Egyptian Kung Fu Federation decided to suspend a player who flashed the Rabaa al-Adaweya slogan after winning the gold medal in the World Combat Games in Saint Petersburg, Russia on Friday.
The player will be questioned and might be conclusively expelled from the federation for his political beliefs.
Mohamed Youssef was immediately deported to Cairo and banned from joining the Egyptian national team in the world Kung Fu Championship to be played in Kuala Lumpur.
Sherif Mostafa, the head of the game’s federation, said in a telephone conversation from Kuala Lumpur that after the national anthem was played, the player took off his jacket to reveal a T-shirt bearing the Rabaa slogan and also waved the Rabaa gesture with his hands.
“The player has been fooled,” said Mostafa. “After talking with him, he broke down, cried and apologised for the act, but I refused to accept his apology and insisted that he be deported.”
Minister of Sport Taher Abu Zeid condemned the act, saying he asked for investigations into the incident and added that sport should not be mixed with politics.
Abu Zeid added that whoever does not respect the state and its prestige will not have no place in the sports realm, adding that all those who exploit sports for political purposes will not be accepted.
The Egyptian Olympic Committee also condemned the act, saying it violates the Olympic Charter and warned players against similar acts, saying that raising political slogans is no better than raising sectarian slogans.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
