Egypt wrestler Mohamed Mostafa El Shamy explains why he left team during Rome transit

Egypt wrestler Mohamed Mostafa El Shamy says financial pressure and concern for his family led him to leave the Egyptian delegation during a transit stop in Rome.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has referred the incident to Egypt’s public prosecutor for possible legal action. It has also referred a separate case involving wrestler Ziad Hagag, who left the Egyptian delegation during the World Youth Wrestling Championships in Slovakia.

El Shamy explained his decision in a statement posted on Instagram.

“I apologise to my father and my family for everything that happened. I never wished to reach this stage. Wrestling has been, and remains, a major part of my life. I started practising it when I was seven, and spent many years dreaming of raising Egypt’s flag and achieving something that everyone would remember.”

He added: “Thankfully, I was able to raise my country’s flag at African championships and many international competitions. My greatest dream was to win an Olympic medal and reach the highest possible position in the sport I loved and devoted my whole life to.”

The wrestler said his family circumstances had influenced his decision.

“But at a certain point, I felt that my father had become tired and that life had become difficult for him. I am the eldest of my brothers, so someone had to make a sacrifice and take responsibility.”

El Shamy apologised to those who had supported him, but said the financial assistance available to him was not enough to secure his future.

“I apologise again to my father and my family, and to everyone who stood by me, helped me and supported me throughout my journey. I will never forget anyone’s support. But against my will, I found myself growing older and no longer knowing how to ask my father for anything. The support I receive does not allow me to live a decent life, and I need to secure myself, my future and my life. That is not available.”

He said he feared being left without support if he suffered an injury or was forced to stop competing.

“It had to happen because, if I were to suffer an injury, God forbid, or stop wrestling, I would not find support after everything I had achieved. The path may have changed and the dream may have been postponed, but the dream itself is still there.”

El Shamy also said he hoped to return to competition.

“God willing, I will come back to continue my journey, raise my country’s flag again and try to achieve the dream I have not yet fulfilled. By a simple calculation, if I continue for another 15 years in the same position I am in now, I will not even be able to buy an apartment in which to get married.”

The Egyptian Olympic Committee has suspended Ibrahim Adel Al-Attar, head of the wrestling delegation at the Mediterranean Games, and referred him to its ethics committee. The decision followed preliminary findings of negligence and shortcomings in monitoring one of the delegation’s members.

The incident occurred after the Egyptian wrestling delegation left Taranto airport with all its members and travelled to Rome for a transit stop on its return journey to Cairo. The delegation head was expected to retain the athletes’ passports, but did not do so. When El Shamy’s coach noticed that he was missing, he tried to follow him but was unsuccessful. The coach then missed the flight, while El Shamy managed to leave the delegation’s area.

The ministry said the measures were intended to establish legal and administrative responsibility without prejudging the investigation or issuing prior judgments against any party.

It also said the incidents did not diminish Egypt’s achievements at the Mediterranean Games, where the wrestling team won seven medals: golds for Samar Hamza and Mohamed Hassan; silvers for Mohamed Farag and Abdelrahman Haitham; and bronzes for Mawadda Badawy, Mostafa Hussein and Shehab El-Din Abdel Raouf. El Shamy was eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

In its statement, the ministry said sporting success did not exempt anyone from responsibility and that representing Egypt internationally required full compliance with regulations.

“Egypt’s wrestlers deserve credit for their achievement, while officials must answer for negligence,” it said.

“Medals must not become a cover that hides any shortcomings, just as an individual incident must not become a judgment on an entire delegation that produced an achievement worthy of praise.”

The ministry added: “Representing Egypt is a responsibility before it is an honour. A sports delegation is a system with rules and responsibilities, and everyone holding an administrative position must fulfil their duty completely, during the competitions, after they end and until the last member returns home.”

It concluded: “Seven medals brought joy to Egyptian wrestling in Taranto, while two incidents disrupted the picture. But the most important message is clear: achievement does not protect negligence, a medal does not remove responsibility, and only the law determines where responsibility begins and ends.”