In an intense atmosphere, the Egyptian Football Association’s (EFA) board member, Ahmed Megahed, held a press conference on Monday, in response to Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah and his agent Ramy Abbas’s statements on Twitter, in which Abbas demanded that the EFA’s board steps down if it falls short of meeting their demands.
Megahed asserted that the EFA is keen on maintaining good relations with Salah, as he represents a great value for the national team. However, he denied receiving any messages from Salah recently, noting that Abbas sent two letters using explicit warning that Salah would call on the EFA’s president and entire board of directors to hand in their resignation should they decline to respond.
The EFA’s member added that Abbas withdrew his warning in a third letter sent yesterday, following Salah’s tweet, ruling out that Salah would agree with his agent’s behaviour.
Salah reignited his long-standing row with the EFA, when on Sunday he expressed his frustration that the EFA ignored his requests and messages, which brought the governing body of Egyptian football under fire for mistreating the brilliant player.
Earlier this year, Abbas complained about what he called the “exploitation of Salah’s image rights” by the EFA without prior permit from the player. Then, the two parties agreed to remove Salah’s pictures from all the disputed ads to meet his demands.
But Abbas sought further guarantees in the letter he sent to the EFA last week, listing seven demands.
He demanded that two security guards be present with Salah while he is on international duty. He also said no one should be allowed to ask Salah for photographs and that his client “will not be expected to be made available for any promotional appearances, interviews, meets and greets, sponsor events, official visits, VIP visits, picture sessions, or anything, by anyone on behalf of the EFA.”
Megahed expressed his refusal to most of the demands, revealing that the EFA sent a letter this morning to Abbas explaining their position from Salah’s demands.
