Egypt women’s coach Mohamed Kamal to sue critics after Africa Cup of Nations exit

Egypt women’s national team head coach Mohamed Kamal says he has decided to take legal action against anyone who insulted or attacked him with what he described as false claims intended to serve personal interests.

Kamal has faced criticism in recent weeks following Egypt’s results at the Africa Cup of Nations, including criticism from some of the players named in the national team squad.

Speaking to FilGoal.com, Kamal said: “I decided to sue everyone who insulted, attacked and abused me to achieve personal interests.”

He added: “There are statements that are nothing more than false allegations, and all of this is currently being collected before taking official action.”

Kamal was also asked about claims that players had been consulted over the length of time they would spend on the pitch during matches. He rejected that suggestion, saying the national team doctor had been responsible for deciding how long certain players could play.

“Completely untrue. The national team doctor was the one who determined the playing time for some players,” he said.

Kamal said those decisions had been based on the players’ physical condition and were intended to prevent injuries.

“The national team doctor’s decision is made according to the players’ physical condition, for fear that they could suffer injuries, but there are people who want to achieve personal interests,” he concluded.

Egypt women’s national team were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations in the group stage after losing all three of their matches.

They finished the tournament without a point, following defeats by Zambia, Malawi and Nigeria.

Egypt began their campaign with a heavy 6-0 loss to Zambia. They were beaten again in their second group match, losing 3-1 to Malawi.

Their final group-stage fixture ended in another defeat, this time against Nigeria, who won 6-2.

The results meant Egypt completed their Africa Cup of Nations campaign at the bottom of their group without registering a point. The tournament performances prompted criticism of Kamal, including from players within the squad, while the coach has now said he is preparing to pursue legal action over comments he considers abusive and based on false statements.

He also maintained that decisions over individual playing time were medical rather than the result of consultation with players. According to Kamal, the national team doctor assessed the physical condition of certain players and restricted their minutes to reduce the risk of injury.

The coach’s comments came after Egypt’s group-stage campaign ended with three defeats and 17 goals conceded across their matches against Zambia, Malawi and Nigeria.