Teenager ‘dropped over his name’: Egyptian club coach found at fault after government probe

A youth coach at one of Egypt’s most historic football clubs has been found to have acted improperly towards a 13‐year‐old player allegedly excluded from trials “because of his name”, the country’s sports ministry has ruled.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports said an investigative committee from the Alexandria Youth and Sports Directorate had concluded that the coach was responsible in the case of youth player Makary Yonan at Alexandria’s Al Ittihad.

The ministry has ordered Al Ittihad to discipline the coach within 48 hours and has referred the incident to the public prosecutor for potential legal action.

Government orders swift action

The controversy began after the boy’s mother lodged a formal complaint, claiming her son had been removed from Al Ittihad’s football trials due to his name.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Youth and Sports said:

“بعد شكوى والدة اللاعب مكاري يونان بشان استبعاده من اختبارات كرة القدم بنادي الاتحاد السكندري بسبب اسمه، انتهت اللجنة التي شكلت من مديرية الشباب والرياضة بمحافظة الاسكندرية، بعد التحقيق، الى ثبوت ارتكاب المدرب المختص للمخالفة”

“وعلى ضوء ذلك، جرى توجيه نادي الاتحاد السكندري بسرعة اتخاذ اجراءات التحقيق مع المدرب المشار اليه، وتوقيع الجزاء المناسب بحقه، مع موافاة الوزارة بنتيجة التحقيق والجزاءات الموقعة، وذلك خلال مدة لا تتجاوز 48 ساعة. كما تقرر احالة الواقعة الى النيابة العامة لاتخاذ شوونها فيها وفقا لاحكام القانون”.

The ministry had earlier announced it was opening an inquiry after reports that a youth player at Al Ittihad had been excluded from selection because of his name.

The committee’s findings mark a rare public condemnation of a coach’s conduct in a grassroots football dispute and raise wider questions about how talent is assessed in youth systems across Egypt.

Al Ittihad pledge accountability

Before the ministry’s statement, Al Ittihad’s leadership had already signalled it would look into the matter.

Club president Mohamed Ahmed Salama told FilGoal.com: “سنفتح تحقيقا في واقعة اللاعب مكاري يوناني، وسيتم محاسبة المخطي اذا ثبتت ادانته”.

The club is now under direct instruction from the ministry to complete its own internal procedures quickly, report back on any sanctions imposed on the coach, and cooperate with the public prosecutor’s investigation.

How the incident unfolded

Mohamed Nour, head of Al Ittihad’s youth sector, provided his version of events in comments to FilGoal.com, outlining the player’s history with the club and what he says happened during this summer’s trials.

He explained that Makary had already been part of the club’s youth set-up:

“مكاري تواجد في الفريق “ب” لنادي الاتحاد مواليد 2013 بالموسم الماضي، ودخل هذا الصيف اختبارات الفريق “ا” ونجح في المرحلة الاولى”.

The incident occurred, Nour said, when one of the coaches, named as Ahmed Ahmed Sari, asked the boy for his name:

“ما حدث ان اللاعب اثناء سوال احد المدربين (احمد احمد ساري) عن اسمه اجاب: مكاري يوناني، فرد المدرب قايلا: “وكيف ينطق او يكتب هذا الاسم”.

According to Nour, the boy’s mother later complained after seeing her son in tears and suggested there had been religious discrimination.

He rejected that allegation, saying: “والدة اللاعب اشتكت من الامر بعد بكايه والمحت لوجود اضطهاد ديني، لكن هذا غير صحيح بالمرة بدليل تواجد مكاري في الفريق “ب” بالموسم الماضي”.

Mother deletes social media post after meeting

Al Ittihad’s youth chief added that the club had since met the family to address their concerns.

“عقدنا جلسة مع اللاعب ووالدته التي تفهمت الامر تماما وقامت بحذف المنشور التي نشرته على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي”.

The youth trials at Al Ittihad, one of Alexandria’s most prominent clubs, began in June as part of the annual search for young talent.

While the club maintains there was no religious bias, the ministry’s committee has nevertheless determined that the coach committed a violation in his handling of the youngster – a verdict now set to be scrutinised further by Egypt’s public prosecution.