Amr Zahran faces tougher sanction after second incident, says Egyptian Basketball Federation

Mohamed Fathy, vice-president of the Egyptian Basketball Federation, says Al Ahly player Amr Zahran could receive a heavier punishment after an incident involving an Al Qanah player in the Associated League.

Zahran has been suspended while the federation investigates what happened. Fathy said the Al Qanah player told the match officials there had been no issue and that the matter had already been resolved between the two players.

“The match referees asked the Al Qanah player about the incident, and he told them there was nothing to report. The matter between him and Amr Zahran ended, and they reconciled immediately,” Fathy said on MBC Masr 2.

The federation’s regulations state that a player found guilty can be suspended for two matches and fined between 5,000 Egyptian pounds and 100,000 Egyptian pounds.

“The Egyptian Basketball Federation decided to suspend Amr Zahran until he is investigated and the details of the incident are known,” Fathy added.

He said the federation’s board could also choose to impose a punishment outside the standard regulations, provided the decision was approved by a vote of all its members.

“There is a set of regulations at the Basketball Federation covering sanctions for any action by any player,” Fathy said. “The board also has the right to take the appropriate decision in special cases through a vote.”

Fathy said Zahran’s status as an Egypt international and an important member of the national team meant the incident required a particularly serious response.

“Amr Zahran is an international player and one of the main players in the Egypt national team. What he did was not acceptable, so his punishment should be somewhat more severe than that given to another player,” he said.

He also confirmed that the incident was not the player’s first disciplinary matter.

“This is Amr Zahran’s second incident, so the punishment will be doubled,” Fathy said.