Egypt sports minister orders immediate action against coach over alleged assault on under-12 table tennis player

Gohar Nabil, Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, has ordered the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation to take immediate and strict action against a table tennis coach accused of hitting child player Zeina Farouk.

Video footage appeared to show the coach assaulting Farouk during the World Hope Week event for players under the age of 12 in Sheffield, England.

The minister instructed both organisations to suspend the coach from all sporting activity while an investigation is carried out.

He also ordered the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation to begin their inquiries immediately, in line with the relevant laws and regulations.

Nabil called for the toughest penalties allowed under those rules, stressing the seriousness of an incident involving a player of childhood age.

He also noted that the alleged assault took place while the coach and player were taking part in a competition outside Egypt. He said that circumstance required the maximum sanctions available under the regulations governing the sport, in order to prevent similar incidents in future.

The minister further directed the Egyptian Olympic Committee to issue guidance to all sports federations.

That guidance should remind everyone involved in the administration, technical staff and management of sporting activities of their responsibility to uphold sportsmanship and comply with the laws and regulations governing competitions, training and other sporting practices.