Cairo, Egypt – Four days after disappearing from the Egyptian team camp at the 2026 Under-20 World Wrestling Championships in Slovakia, 19-year-old wrestler Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal posted a message on Facebook, saying he did not want his parents to be upset and that he acted to prove his manhood. He cited a monthly salary of just 700 Egyptian pounds ($13.7) as an international athlete, adding that he could not return under such pressure.
On August 27, another Egyptian wrestler, Mohamed al-Shami, 23, escaped while his team transited through Rome on their way home from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy. In his Facebook post, al-Shami described feeling like a financial burden on his family and wanting to start earning money for them. He said his father was exhausted, and as the eldest sibling, he had to make a sacrifice.
While Egyptian authorities may pursue legal action against the two athletes, their posts drew widespread sympathy on Facebook, with many Egyptians understanding the pressures that drive athletes to flee a country mired in poverty. This is not an isolated incident; several Egyptian wrestlers have defected in recent years.
In 2023, Ahmed Baghdouda left for France after winning silver at the African Wrestling Championships, reportedly over low pay. Tarek Abdel Salam defected to Bulgaria in 2017 amid alleged medical neglect and later won European gold under Bulgaria's flag. Ibrahim Ghanem also stayed in France and subsequently won a World Championship title.
In October 2025, Mohamed Ibrahim el-Sayed, known as Kishu, a six-time African champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, announced his intention to switch allegiance to the United States. He blamed the wrestling federation, stating that the problem is not just about money but also about the lack of a secure future after retirement or injury.
The Egyptian Wrestling Federation's team psychologist, Hossam Mohamed, defended the state's support, citing bonuses up to 5 million Egyptian pounds ($98,135) for Olympic gold. However, he acknowledged limited resources compared to football, and noted that bonuses are tied to results, which the fleeing athletes did not achieve.
Former kickboxing federation head Gamal el-Badrawy called for tighter oversight of sports federations and a review of bonuses and health insurance, emphasizing that the weak financial and administrative system is the main driver of defections.
Egypt's Ministry of Youth and Sports has referred Hajjaj and al-Shami to the public prosecutor for breaking delegation rules. The National Olympic Committee suspended Brigadier General Ibrahim Adel, the federation's secretary-general, for allowing al-Shami's escape. Adel called the move unfair, pointing to notarized undertakings signed by the athletes and their guardians.
Hajjaj's father expressed deep worry for his son, noting that the federation had not contacted him since the escape. He said, "Whatever happens, he's still my son," and prayed for his safety, hoping God compensates him for the difficult times.
Source: www.aljazeera.com