Egyptian wrestler Mohamed El-Shamy reveals reasons for his escape
In a poignant message, Egyptian wrestler Mohamed Mostafa El-Shamy, a member of the Egyptian freestyle wrestling national team, broke his silence to reveal the backstage details and the real reasons that prompted him to leave the country and abruptly abandon his training camp.
Through his personal Facebook account, El-Shamy expressed his deep regret at reaching this pivotal moment, issuing a formal and private apology to his family and to everyone who supported him throughout his sporting career.
El-Shamy affirmed that wrestling has always been, and remains, his primary passion since he began practicing it at the age of seven. He explained that he had always dreamed of raising the Egyptian flag at international events and competing for an Olympic medal, an ambition he successfully realized by winning numerous African and international championships.
The Egyptian wrestler pointed out that financial pressures and the decline in financial support were the direct causes behind his decision. He noted that, as the eldest son, he has watched his father struggle under heavy living expenses, while the support provided to him as a national team player does not ensure a decent life or offer protection against any injury that could end his athletic career.
Speaking about the deteriorating economic conditions for individual sport athletes, El-Shamy used his own future as an example, stating, “With a simple calculation, if I stay in the same position for another 15 years, I won’t be able to afford an apartment to get married in.” He emphasized that his fear of the unknown after retirement or in the event of an injury drove him to make the sacrifice of seeking an opportunity to secure his life and that of his family.
The Egyptian Ministry of Sport discovered El-Shamy’s defection hours after the disappearance of young wrestler Ziad Hajjaj. This occurred while the Egyptian wrestling national team was participating in the Slovakia championship.
The decision coincided with the announcement by the Egyptian Olympic Committee of the suspension of Ibrahim Al-Attar, head of the wrestling delegation, and his referral to the Ethics Committee, following preliminary investigations that revealed negligence and failure to monitor the delegation.
