CAIRO: A statement issued yesterday by South African police refuted allegations that players on Egypt’s national football team were robbed by prostitutes they brought back to their hotel rooms to celebrate their victory over Italy.
The statement said the robbery took place during the game, not after it, and denied that any police source spoke to South African tabloid newspapers Sunday World or City Press, who broke the story.
Talk show host Amr Adib also apologized to the players on his show Monday night.
On his popular nightly show “Al-Qahera Al-Youm on Sunday, Adib criticized the team’s poor performance in their match against the United States, quoting the Sunday World report that accused them of bringing prostitutes to their hotel rooms after their Italy win.
Adib also got caught up in a verbal dispute with some of the team’s players and coach Hassan Shehata, who phoned in to the show to defend themselves.
“I was harsh on the players and coach Hassan Shehata and I am ready to kiss their heads. I apologize to them and I am saying I am sorry that I crossed the limits, Adib said.
“I love this country and I love football but yesterday as any fan I was frustrated and angry with the results and when this news came about the players, I thought [it was] too much to take and I lost control, he added.
Adib also apologized to the players’ wives for “the emotional distress he caused them.
“One thing I won’t apologize for is that when there is news I will convey it to the audience; if it weren’t for us nobody would have known about this issue and no action would have been taken he concluded.
Major news wire services that carried the story from the South African tabloid, said police did not confirm the reports.
Egypt also received an official apology from the Confederations Cup’s organizing committee over the false accusations.
“Local press didn’t present evidence to support their allegations, they also didn’t have the transcript of the police investigations, Danny Jordan, head of the organizing committee of the Confederations Cup, said in a press conference Monday.
“The Egyptians were one of the most peaceful delegations participating in the tournament, he added.
Mahmoud Taher, head of the Egyptian delegation and Samir Zaher, head of the Egyptian Football Association held a press conference in South Africa to clarify matters and threatened to sue the South African newspapers if they do not issue an apology.
Following “Al-Qahera Al-Youm’s Sunday show, several players, including Mohamed Abou-Trika, threatened to step down while others threatened to abstain from participating in the upcoming crucial match against Rwanda on July 5 unless they receive official apologies.
The players held a press conference at Cairo International Airport yesterday where they were received by Hassan Saqr, head of the National Sports Council, Gamal Mubarak, head of the policies committee at the National Democratic Party (NDP) as well as hundreds of fans.
“Despite our frustration with the accusations, after the reception we got we are ready to forget what happened, Ahmed Hassan, team captain said.
Meanwhile, other press reports suggested that Shehata and his staff are considering resigning from their posts.
However, the Egyptian Football Association released a statement on its website in which Zaher denied the resignation of any staff members, adding that they are all staying until the end of the World Cup qualification matches.
Meanwhile, South African police’s investigations are still underway looking for the perpetrators behind the burglary.
Video recordings from security cameras in the hotel’s lobby showed four women, who are suspected to be workers at the hotel, breaking into the player’s rooms during the game, not after the game as press reports alleged.
Reports said that more than 17 German journalists from the German TV were subject to a similar robbery in their hotel rooms. Brazilian team coach Dunga and several players were also robbed during their game against Italy.
The series of incidents raised safety and security issues in South Africa which is scheduled to host the 2010 World Cup next summer.
