Africa

Soccer player investigated for backing Egypt’s Morsi

Ahmed Abdel Zaher used four-finger Muslim Brotherhood signal after scoring goal

Supporters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi hold “Rabaa” signs during a protest in front of the Egyptian embassy in Amman, Jordan. The “Rabaa” or “four” gesture is in reference to the police clearing of Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp on August 14th. Photograph: Muhammad Hamed/Reuters.

Tue Nov 12 2013 - 10:52

A leading Egyptian football club has launched an investigation into one of its players after he showed support for ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Egypt's soccer federation said it would ban the player, Ahmed Abdel Zaher, from competing until an investigation is completed.

After scoring a goal, Zaher displayed the four-finger Muslim Brotherhood signal that symbolises a raid by security forces on a pro-Morsi protest camp in Cairo in August that killed hundreds of Islamists.

The army overthrew Mr Morsi on July 3rd and installed an interim government. It has since launched a security crackdown on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, arresting more than 2,000 members, including Mr Morsi and other senior leaders. Security forces have killed hundreds of Mursi supporters.

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Many Egyptians turned against the Brotherhood after Mr Morsi’s troubled year in office and now support the man who overthrew him, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

In October, an Egyptian kung fu champion was banned from representing the country after he showed support for Mr Morsi.

Reuters

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