Egypt Demands Legal Action Following Wrestler's Defection During Rome Layover

The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports has officially referred the defection of wrestler Mohamed Mustafa Ali El-Shami, which occurred during a transit layover in Rome, to the Public Prosecution for legal action.

In a related development, a separate case concerning wrestler Ziad Haggag—who defected during the World Junior Wrestling Championships in Slovakia—has also been forwarded to prosecutorial authorities.

Following preliminary investigations that pointed to negligence and insufficient supervision, the Egyptian Olympic Committee suspended Ibrahim Adel Ibrahim Mustafa Al-Attar, head of the wrestling delegation, and referred him to the Ethics Committee.

The incident involving Mohamed Mustafa Ali El-Shami unfolded when the delegation traveled from Taranto to Rome for a scheduled transit layover on their journey back to Cairo. During this stop, El-Shami managed to slip away from the group.

Although the delegation leader attempted to locate and retrieve the athlete, the effort was unsuccessful, leading the team coach to remain in Rome while the rest of the delegation returned to Egypt.

Concerning Ziad Haggag, the Ministry previously directed the Egyptian Wrestling Federation to launch an inquiry, compile a detailed report regarding his disappearance in Slovakia, and initiate appropriate legal measures before handing the case over to the Public Prosecution.

Despite these disciplinary measures, ministry officials stressed that these incidents should not detract from Egypt’s impressive performance at the Mediterranean Games. The national wrestling team triumphed with seven medals, including gold medals earned by Samar Hamza and Mohamed Hassan, silver medals secured by Mohamed Farag and Abdel Rahman Haitham, and bronze medals awarded to Mawaddah Badawi, Mustafa Hussein, and Shehab El-Din Abdel Raouf. Notably, Mohamed Mustafa Ali El-Shami had been eliminated during the preliminary rounds.