Egypt’s Zamalek Chairman Accuses Moroccans of Sorcery

Rabat – Chairman of the Egyptian Club Zamalek, Mortada Mansour has portrayed Morocco as a country that practices sorcery by accusing a Moroccan “sorcerer” of using his alleged supernatural powers to help Al-Ahly defeat Zamalek in Cairo’s derby last week.

Mortada Mansour made this controversial statement while interviewed on a broadcast of “El-liaabaHilwa” which aired on Egypt’s LCT TV.

He claimed that the main reason behind Al-Ahly’s win over Zamalek with two clean scores in the derby match was the use of Moroccan ‘black magic’.

Mortada Mansour who looked quite serious and angeredaccused HaithamArabi, Manager of Contracts and External Relations at Club Al-Ahlyto have“spent 21 days in Morocco in order to find a sorcerer who could enable Al-Ahly defeat Zamalek.”

He went as far as to argue that the “sorcerer” was seated behind HaithamArabiatBurj Al Arab Stadium, during the derby match.

To emphasize his claims, Mortada Mansour ‘swore to God’ that he was saying the truth, accusing whoever doesn’t believe him of disbelieving the Koran_which acknowledges sorcery.

Moroccan social media users reacted ironically to Mansour’s odd statement. A commentator said if Morocco did have such “sorcerers”, it would have won the African Nations Cup and other international competitions.

Mortada Mansour is not the only Egyptian to portray Morocco as a country of sorcery. Last year, Egyptian actor, Khaled Al Sawi accused Moroccans of being sorcerers and mocked the Moroccan Amazigh people, saying they are barbaric people who believe in myths.

Edited by Karla Dieseldorff