Financial Despair and Low Pay Drive Egyptian Wrestlers to Flee Abroad

Mohamed Ibrahim el-Sayed won bronze for Egypt in the 67kg category at the Tokyo Olympics, but is now reportedly switching his sporting nationality to the US. In Cairo, Egypt, the sport is facing a major crisis as athletes continue to vanish while competing internationally.

Four days after disappearing from the Egyptian team camp at the 2026 Under-20 World Wrestling Championships in Slovakia, 19-year-old wrestler Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal explained his decision on Facebook, citing extreme financial pressure and earning only 700 Egyptian pounds ($13.7) a month as an international athlete. Similarly, 23-year-old Mohamed al-Shami escaped while his team transited through Rome on their way home from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, stating he wanted to help alleviate his family's financial struggles.

While Egyptian authorities have taken legal action against the athletes, their departures highlighted widespread hardships within the sport. A 27-year-old wrestler noted that under-20 athletes earn meager monthly wages, often forcing them into debt to cover living costs and supplements. Other athletes, such as Ahmed Baghdouda, Tarek Abdel Salam, Ibrahim Ghanem, and Mohamed Ibrahim el-Sayed (Kishu), have previously left Egypt or sought to represent other nations due to financial strain, lack of support, and concerns over post-retirement security.

While the Egyptian Wrestling Federation (EWF) and team psychologist Hossam Mohamed defended the state's support system and pointed to limited resources compared to football, critics like Gamal el-Badrawy called for stronger oversight from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Meanwhile, Egypt's Ministry of Youth and Sports has referred Hajjaj and al-Shami to the public prosecutor, and the Egyptian National Olympic Committee (ENOC) suspended Brigadier General Ibrahim Adel, leaving distressed families and a deeply troubled national wrestling program behind.