Egypt’s Minister Of Sports Slammed With One Year In Prison, Removal From Office

A Cairo misdemeanor court has sentenced Egyptian sports minister Taher Abouzeid to one year in prison, a ruling that also includes his removal from office and a fine of LE10,000.

Abouzeid’s conviction is due to his failure to abide by a previous court order which invalidated the board elections at the Shooting Club, a sports club in Cairo’s Dokki neighbourhood.

The misdemeanour court’s order can be appealed, however, meaning that AbouZeid will remain in his post as sports minister.

Fourteen members of the Shooting Club filed a case against Abouzeid arguing the invalidity of the president and board members who have run the club since 2009.

Abouzeid, appointed sports minister last July, has been in hot water this week for some of his decisions.

On Saturday, Abouzeid cancelled the extension of Ahly sports club’s board and temporarily appointed a new one.

Later on Sunday, however, interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawy suspended the decision of the sports minister.

Ahly’s board elections had been scheduled to take place last May, but the sports minister at the time, El-Amry Farouk, extended the duration of the current board, headed by Hassan Hamdy, due to the country’s instability.

The relationship between Abouzeid and Hamdy’s board has grown tense recently after Ahly’s board decided to sell its TV rights individually and not join other Egyptian clubs’ collective deal.

Source : Ahram