Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Egyptian footballer Hussein El-Shahat, who plays for Al Ahly SC, has come under heavy scrutiny for his violent attack on Moroccan player Mohamed Chibi during an Egyptian Premier League match against Pyramids FC on Sunday.
The incident unfolded after Pyramids FC’s 3-0 victory against Al Ahly, with El-Shahat insulting and directing some harsh words toward Chibi before delivering a forceful slap to his face.
This triggered a physical altercation between other players, requiring intervention from both teams’ staff to de-escalate the situation.
El-Shahat’s behavior has left the footballing community in outrage, as videos of the Egyptian footballer’s assault on Chibi went viral, sparking a social media storm demanding justice and accountability for the aggressive act on the pitch.
تصرف غير أخلاقي من اللاعب المصري حسين الشحات في حق اللاعب المغربي الشيبي
صراحة لو كنت مكان الشيبي كنت نمسح بيه القاهرة ونواحيها ولكن ردة فعله كانت غريبة صراحة pic.twitter.com/y8G7dBJ697— ism Elazizi عصام العزيزي ✪ (@IsmElazizi) July 23, 2023
Hours after the incident, particularly after videos showing El-Shahat’s behavior spread online, the Egyptian player extended a handshake to Chibi in the presence of the media and offered an apology.
However, Chibi later took to social media to shed light on the situation, revealing that he experienced “verbal abuse and insults” towards his parents during the Super Cup match in the United Arab Emirates on May 5 and yesterday’s match, “accompanied by harassment and physical attacks in both games.”
“Prior to today’s incident and before the slap, there was a threat to break my leg, where he said, ‘If you had started the match, I would have broken your leg,’” said the Moroccan player, noting that these threats could jeopardize his football career.
Read also: FRMF Condemns Aggression Against U-17 Moroccan Players in Algeria
He added that “even the ‘reconciliation’ video was filmed in front of journalists, and it came at the other party [El-Shahat]’s request after they learned that the video of the slap had been circulating on social media.”
Chibi added that it would have been easy for him to react aggressively to El-Shahat’s behavior, but his “respect” for his team and its internal regulation made him refrain from doing so.
In response to El-Shahat’s behavior, Al Ahly decided to impose a “substantial financial penalty” on the 31-year-old player. However, football fans have demanded more stringent consequences for his actions, with many calling for a suspension to be added to the financial fine.
Football fans have taken to various social media platforms to voice their anger, demanding that El-Shahat be held accountable for his actions.
The hashtag #Hussein_Al-Shahat_Should_Be_Held_Accountable in Arabic went viral on Twitter, with fans calling for justice and demanding appropriate measures to be taken against the Al Ahly player.
Meanwhile, Pyramids FC’s management announced its decision to submit a formal complaint to the Disciplinary Committee of the Egyptian Football Association and the Professional Clubs Association, seeking accountability for El-Shahat’s actions.
