Egyptian TV Host Tamer Amin Back on Air After Sexist Comments to Olympic Swimmer Rania Elwani

Egyptian TV host Tamer Amin has been reinstated and permitted to resume his show Akher El Nahar (End of the Day) on the Al Nahar Network.

Amin had been accused of misogyny and sexism after insulting Olympic swimmer, gynecologist, and member of parliament Rania Elwani’s husband on the air for co-parenting. During a segment of a June 2019 interview, Elwani was discussing her family life and the support system that has allowed her to succeed as a global sports hero, a medical professional, and a politician, praising her husband for supporting her along her journey. “He has supported me a lot. …In 2004, for instance, he was passing around flyers for my parliamentary election campaign,” she said, adding that her husband was tutoring their children while the interview was being taped.

Amin’s controversial interview with Elwani

Amin seemed to take offense and proceeded to mock Elwani’s husband, looked straight into the camera and addressed him, saying: “What’s up man? How do you feel making chai latte and tutoring the kids, and staying at home while the doctor [Elwani] is on TV? After which, she will head to the clinic, then to parliament?”

The TV host then doubled down, saying: “How do you feel, Dr. Hany [Elwani’s husband], when you’re walking across your reception or living room and find a trophy case with 48 medals and 97 trophies, etc., when the most you have ever achieved is winning a backgammon game at the neighborhood coffee shop?”

Amin also added that he doesn’t allow his wife to work.

The National Council for Women decried his comments and filed a complaint with the Supreme Media Council. He was then briefly taken off the air after it was discovered that he wasn’t registered with Egypt’s Media Syndicate and therefore isn’t a licensed media professional.

Amin’s membership was quickly reinstated after submitting all the paperwork necessary to conform with the syndicate’s bylaws and policies.

Amin during the opening segment of his show, Akher El Nahar, last night

After he was back on air last night, Amin, who was only suspended for 24 hours, addressed the controversy, saying he wasn’t afraid of apologizing for a mistake while maintaining that he doesn’t believe his comments were offensive. “If I have given offense to anyone, I’m sorry. If the National Council for Women is dismayed, I apologize to them as well, but I swear the episode [with Elwani] was a parody and that was agreed upon with the guest,” he said, adding that he has the utmost respect for Elwani as an icon and for all Egyptian women.

This comes in the heels of the Reham Saeed controversy, after she was taken off the air for fat-shaming Egyptians, following complaints by the National Council for Women that prompted the Supreme Media Council to further investigate the TV host.