Egyptian Football: A “Fish, Milk, and Tamarind” Mess

Written by Dr. Hamada Alantably

Anyone following the affairs of Egyptian football will find an endless series of crises, with the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) as the permanent protagonist. The latest in this chain of debacles is the issue of COVID-19 testing—a fundamental prerequisite for continuing football competitions anywhere in the world, as human health must remain the ultimate priority. However, in this Association, personal interests apparently come first. While sports returned to fields across the globe under strict protocols set by states, it seems this Association pays no heed to the state, its interests, or its directives.

One has to ask: Are they trying to reinvent football at this Association? A ball is round everywhere else, but in this Association, it takes on entirely different dimensions. The language of interests dominates this entity, and the biggest loser is Egyptian football itself. Constantly, we hear wholesale accusations leveled against everyone associated with this organization: accusations of bribery, embezzlement, profiteering, commissions, and the absolute dominance of a single individual—as if this Association has no oversight or accountability.

In every crisis, everyone cries out for the Minister to intervene to solve the problem, while at the same time, some threaten that ministerial intervention constitutes government interference in sports affairs. We are left asking: What do the EFA officials actually want? Do they want competitions to continue or not? We must all realize we are facing a global crisis that requires everyone to stand together. Yet, at a time when you find a national team coaching staff that has delivered absolutely nothing since taking office while collecting millions of pounds, you see clubs struggling and unable to meet their obligations as an inevitable result of the current crisis. In the end, the Association demands that they either pay for the tests themselves or continue the competition without testing. The inevitable answer will be the absence of tests, making it the first league in the world to operate without COVID-19 screening during a pandemic.

Consequently, will FIFA remain silent on this matter? Will Egyptian clubs be able to participate in continental tournaments? And the most important question of all: Who will bear the responsibility for the spread of the virus among the players? Will the state remain silent on this situation while it strives so hard to fight the virus and implement all necessary measures?

There are many questions lingering in the mind of every person concerned with sports affairs. To Allah belongs the matter, before and after.

By Dr. Hamada Alantably