The Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Egypt, headed by Khaled Abdel Aziz, has decided to ban Ahmed Hossam Mido from appearing in the media indefinitely due to his recent statements regarding Hassan Shehata and the Egyptian national team from 2006 to 2010.
Mido appeared on a podcast with journalist Abu El-Maati Zaki, during which he claimed that Hassan Shehata believed in magic and sorcery, and that he consulted a sheikh during the three tournaments he won with the Pharaohs. He further alleged that this sheikh was the one who requested Mido’s exclusion from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
Mido also claimed that the Egyptian Football Association supported Hassan Shehata’s beliefs regarding magic and sorcery, and that the coach sometimes forced players to wear jerseys with different numbers based on the sheikh’s instructions. These statements sparked a wave of criticism against Mido, especially as they come at a time when Shehata is suffering from serious health problems.
The Supreme Council for Media Regulation issued a statement saying that Mido’s remarks were offensive and questioned the achievements of the Egyptian national team between 2006 and 2010.
The Complaints Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing for Mido, after which its recommendations will be submitted to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation for a final decision.
Mido was part of the Egyptian national team that won the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, but he had a well-known clash with coach Hassan Shehata when he was substituted during the semi-final match against Senegal, and was subsequently excluded from the final against Ivory Coast.
