By Mark Baber
May 13 – Recently retired Egyptian soccer legend Abu Treika [Aboutrika] has seen his appeal for the return of his assets, seized over alleged links to the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, turned down.
Aboutrika has for years been one of the most popular players in Egypt, partly due to his achievements on the field which have included winning the African Champions League in 2006 with Al-Ahly, winning CAF’s Africa Best Player of the Year in 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2013 and helping Egypt win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008.
Aboutrika is also much loved due to his modesty – in 2006 after his performances in the African Champions League were praised he said: “We need to stop this habit of praising a definite player. It isn’t Aboutrika who got the Cup, but the whole team. Without the others’ efforts, I can’t ever make anything. Football is a game played by many players, it isn’t tennis or squash.”
Aboutrika is also well known for refusing to accept a higher salary than a team-mate when signing for Tersana, and for his role as a humanitarian about which he said: “Every athlete has a humanitarian role in society. He doesn’t live solely for himself, but for others, too. I like to participate in charity work and try my best to help the poor and penniless. I’m also seeking to use soccer in humanitarian work.”
As part of his humanitarian work, Aboutrika took part in various anti-poverty initiatives as well as donating funds for a cancer hospital for children. He also got into hot water with the footballing authorities after displaying a “Sympathize with Gaza” T-shirt after scoring for Egypt in 2008, earning him the nickname “the humanitarian player,” to go with those of “Prince of Hearts” and the “Saint.”
Unfortunately for Aboutrika, his Muslim faith led him to sympathise with the government of Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organisation now declared illegal and a terrorist organisation in Egypt. A tourism company co-owned by Aboutrika has been accused of having been involved in financing “the terroristic operations carried out following the deadly dispersal of the MB’s sit-ins at Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda squares in August 2013,” leading to the player’s shares being seized.
Head of the commission charged with tracking down Muslim Brotherhood assets, Ezzat Khamis, said on Tuesday that Aboutrika’s petition to have his shares returned was turned down for lacking substantial evidence against confiscation, saying “Aboutrika did not attach to his petition any documents refuting the accusations raised against the company.”
Aboutrika is expected to continue the fight to get his assets back, with the option of taking the matter to court or lodging another petition. Aboutrika has received substantial support in Egypt from other players on social media platforms.
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