Two incidents in days shake Egyptian wrestling as El Shamy leaves team in Rome and Haggag disappears in Slovakia
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Egyptian wrestling is facing a new crisis after wrestler Mohamed Mostafa Ali El Shamy left the national team during a transit stop in Rome, marking the second such incident within days following the disappearance of young wrestler Ziad Haggag during the World Junior Wrestling Championships in Slovakia. Egypt's Ministry of Youth and Sports has referred both cases to the Public Prosecution for investigation.
El Shamy's departure occurred as the Egyptian wrestling delegation was returning from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy. During a transit stop in Rome before the team continued to Cairo, officials discovered that the wrestler was missing. His coach attempted to follow him but was unsuccessful, while El Shamy left the area around the delegation.
The Sports Ministry said the head of the delegation was expected to keep the passports of team members during transit, but this did not happen. The Egyptian Olympic Committee subsequently suspended delegation chief Ibrahim Adel Ibrahim Mostafa Al Attar and referred him to its Ethics Committee following preliminary findings of negligence and inadequate supervision.
The incident came only days after 19-year-old Ziad Haggag disappeared from the Egyptian team's accommodation while competing at the World Junior Wrestling Championships in Slovakia. The ministry had previously ordered the Egyptian Wrestling Federation to investigate and provide a detailed report before referring that case to prosecutors as well.
The ministry said the investigations are intended to determine legal and administrative responsibility without prejudging their outcome, stressing that representing Egypt abroad carries responsibilities that continue until every member of a delegation has returned home.
The controversy comes despite a strong sporting performance by Egypt at the Mediterranean Games, where its wrestlers won seven medals. The ministry said the individual incidents should not diminish those achievements, while also making clear that sporting success does not shield officials from accountability if administrative failures are established.
