It would seem rather odd to write about anything except the World Cup these days but stranger things have happened. Like what happened on Friday last week.
It was the final of the Egyptian Cup. Ahli had been cruising to a 3-0 win over its forever rivals Zamalek when in the second half pandemonium occurred, not between rival fans, but of all places in the VIP tribune.
Zamalek’s club president Mortada Mansour, incensed by the incessant jeers and heckles by Ahli fans directed at his personage, let go with his own volley of unprintables at the Ahli club’s treasury secretary. The verbal volley in seconds had turned into a shoving match followed by a hail of fists. All this in the presence of President Hosni Mubarak’s personal envoy sent to the game, the head of the National Sports Council, and head of the Egyptian Football Federation, all of whom were quickly bundled out of the action.
At one point Mansour took off one of his shoes and waved it at the Ahli crowd, taunting them that they were in fact no better than the piece of leather he had just taken off.
For those who don’t know any better, the taking off of a shoe to be used as a weapon is one of the highest insults you can pay your enemy. As such, it seems everybody is doing it these days. In parliament last month, Talaat El-Sadat, a nephew of the former president Anwar, decided to brandish his shoe in the face of likewise MP Ahmed Ezz, the iron and steel magnate, as he questioned how somebody as young as the 40-something Ezz could amass a fortune Sadat estimated at $40 billion.
Anyway, the next day the NSC announced it had suspended Mansour from his post as president, fined Zamalek LE 250,000 for failing to show up to receive their silver medals as cup runners-up and banned Zamalek from playing in next season’s super league which pits the league and cup champions. Mansour was also banned from entering Zamalek club or holding any press conferences there.
The day after, Mansour replied, trying to lay siege to the club but was stopped by a platoon of policemen. He then held his own makeshift press conference on the street in front of the club.
Like any good councilor, Mansour has taken the matter to the courts, appealing that the NSC has no right to strip him of his post. A ruling is expected tomorrow.
The World Cup has not been void of things being waved about. Instead of a shoe, though, it was the blue and white Star of David.
The Ghanaian striker Sulley Muntari had just scored against the Czech Republic when Ghanaian defender John Pantsil pulled out an Israeli flag from his sock and began parading it.
Apparently, Pantsil plays for Hapoel in Tel Aviv. So do two teammates. Many of Ghana’s footballers owe their livelihood to Israeli businessmen who long ago set up football camps for the players, later selling them to the highest bidder.
Supporters of Israel claim Pantsil was simply unabashedly spelling out his loyalty. But Pantsil’s allegiance is misplaced. There are hundreds and hundreds of players who ply their trade for foreign clubs, mostly for the money. It’s your country, however, which gives you pride of place in this world.
And let’s face it. Had the Palestinian flag been flashed by any player in the tournament, we would not have heard the end of it.
So drop the shoes and the flags. Let’s keep the waving limited to human waves.
