Egypt ministry opens investigation after wrestler Ziad Haggag leaves team base in Slovakia

The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports has launched an investigation after national team wrestler Ziad Haggag left the Egyptian delegation’s accommodation in Slovakia following his participation in the World Youth Wrestling Championships.

The ministry said it had immediately contacted officials from the Egyptian Wrestling Federation and the head of the delegation after being informed of the incident. They were instructed to take all necessary legal measures and begin an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Haggag’s departure.

A detailed report is also being prepared. It will set out the full details of what happened, as well as the steps taken by those responsible for managing the delegation.

The ministry confirmed that an official report had been filed with the relevant authorities. It added that the legal process involving the player must be completed in line with the outcome of the investigation.

The incident has prompted the ministry to reiterate the rules governing athletes who travel abroad as part of national sporting delegations. It said all sports federations had been instructed to follow the required legal and administrative procedures from the moment a delegation leaves Egypt until its return.

Those procedures include the official declarations and undertakings required before athletes travel. The ministry said the decision authorising the delegation’s trip to Slovakia had included a commitment to return all its members to Egypt after the competition ended, in accordance with the regulations and decisions governing overseas sports missions.

It also disclosed that Haggag’s parent or legal guardian had signed a declaration accepting responsibility for ensuring the player’s return to Egypt before the delegation travelled to Slovakia.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has asked for all information and documents connected to the case to be submitted. The material will be used to establish the full extent of responsibility, including any potential responsibility on the part of the player and any issues linked to the delegation’s organisational or administrative arrangements.

The ministry said participation in Egypt’s national teams was both an honour and a responsibility. It stressed that it would not tolerate breaches of the rules or regulations and would hold accountable any party found to have been negligent or to have violated the relevant requirements.

At the same time, the ministry said the rights of athletes would be protected and that any action taken would be based on the law.

The investigation will therefore consider both the circumstances of Haggag’s departure and whether the procedures put in place for the Egyptian delegation were properly followed. No conclusion on responsibility has been announced while the inquiry is under way.