Protecting the Squad: Inside Mo Salah’s Decision to Kick a Journalist Out of Egypt's Camp

03.07.26 AP World Cup

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Mohamed Salah expelled a reporter from Egypt's World Cup camp on Saturday after a disrespectful question targeted defender Mohamed Hany.

The tension ignited following Egypt’s dramatic Round of 32 victory over Australia where the Pharaohs advanced 4-2 on penalties after a grueling 1-1 draw. In the post match media zone, a journalist sparked widespread outrage by asking defender Ramy Rabia a highly provocative question:

"Will you mark your teammate Mohamed Hany in the next match?"

The mocking query was a direct shot at Hany who unluckily scored two own goals during the group stage and knockouts against Belgium and Australia.

Leadership protects the camp

The toxic comment did not sit well with the team leadership. According to an exclusive report by Arabic sports platform Erem News, national team captain Mohamed Salah immediately stepped in to protect his teammate.

The superstar forward demanded that Egyptian Football Association President Hany Abo Rida and Team Manager Ibrahim Hassan permanently revoke the journalist's media credentials. Abo Rida fiercely reprimanded the reporter on the spot while Ibrahim Hassan ordered his total exclusion from the official delegation and ignored all incoming calls for an apology.

Locked out of the hotel

The blacklisted media member desperately tried to salvage his tournament access by traveling directly to the national team's official headquarters.

He attempted to approach Hany to issue a public apology in front of the entire playing squad but team security firmly denied him entry. Hassan has since issued a strict directive completely banning the individual from entering the team’s residence, training grounds or designated press zones for the remainder of the tournament.

Unifying under pressure

Closing ranks against a hostile media environment is a time honored tradition for successful World Cup squads facing monumental knockout fixtures.

This defensive media blackout draws immediate parallels to France's legendary 1998 campaign where manager Aimé Jacquet completely boycotted prominent sports daily L'Équipe due to relentless bad press.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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