Zamalek Club is weighing the option of withdrawing from the Egyptian Super Cup currently taking place in Abu Dhabi from 20-24 October.
This comes after players Nabil Emad Dongha and Mustafa Shalaby were involved in an altercation with security officials during a match against Pyramids FC on Sunday 20 October which resulted in them being detained by police.
The incident occurred following Zamalek’s victory over Pyramids in a penalty shootout, which ended in a 1-1 draw during regular time.
Video footage has surfaced showing a heated dispute between the players and security personnel at Al Nahyan Stadium.
As a result, Dongha and Shalaby, along with football director Abdel-Wahed El Sayed, were summoned to a police station for questioning early Monday 21 October and have not yet been released.
Ahmed Salem, the club’s official spokesperson, shared on Facebook that an urgent meeting is underway between club president Hussein Labib and treasurer Hossam El-Mandouh to discuss the possibility of withdrawing from the tournament and returning to Cairo due to the intense pressure the team is facing.
Salem added that both the club president and the head of the delegation have been at the police station since early morning, insisting on supporting their detained players.
In an effort to de-escalate the situation, Egyptian Sports Minister Ashraf Sobhy and the Egyptian ambassador in Abu Dhabi are reportedly in discussions to find a resolution.
Zamalek is scheduled to face their rivals, Al Ahly, in the Super Cup final on Thursday, 24 October, at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium. Al Ahly recently won against Ceramica Cleopatra with a score of 2-1 on Sunday, 20 October.
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