Egypt footballer Amr Warda banned over sexual harassment claims
Egypt footballer Amr Warda banned over sexual harassment claims /node/1516661/sport
Sexual harassment claims against Amr Warda surfaced earlier this week on social media. (AFP/File photo)
Updated 26 June 2019
Sexual harassment claims surfaced earlier this week on social media platforms
In 2017 a Portuguese club terminated Warda's contract over claims he sexually harassed the wives of his team-mates
CAIRO: Egypt's football federation on Wednesday banned midfielder Amr Warda from playing in any further matches at the African Cup of Nations over mounting sexual harassment allegations.
"Amr Warda is banned from the national squad after discussions with the team's technical and administrative bodies. This is to maintain the discipline and focus of the team," said the federation in a statement posted on its website.
The sexual harassment claims surfaced earlier this week on social media platforms. Multiple women posted screenshots and testimonies of Warda's alleged lewd comments.
The Wednesday decision comes hours after another viral clip posted on Twitter by a social media user showed him apparently exposing himself to her. AFP cannot verify the authenticity of the brief video.
"He's definitely out. We have a match to focus on tonight," Ihab Leheita, the Egyptian national team's manager, told AFP, without giving further details.
In 2017, Portuguese football club CD Feriense terminated Warda's contract over claims that he sexually harassed the wives of two of his team-mates. His tenure lasted only three days and he was transferred to his current Greek club Atromitos.
Egypt are hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the fifth time and play DR Congo later Wednesday in their bid to advance from the group stages.
The hosts beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in their opening match, during which Warda took to the field.
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Algeria ready for 'match of a lifetime' — Guedioura /node/1527741/sport
Algeria ready for 'match of a lifetime' — Guedioura
The Cup of Nations showpiece marks the climax not only of Algeria's campaign on the field, but of their fans' recent political campaign in the stands
CAIRO: Algeria midfielder Adlene Guedioura says Friday's Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal represents the "match of a lifetime" as his country bids to capture the title for a second time.
The Desert Foxes lifted their lone trophy on home soil in 1990 but coach Djamel Belmadi has reinvigorated a team that crashed out in the group stage two years ago and then flopped in World Cup qualifying.
"I think it's the match of a lifetime for a lot of players in the team and for Algeria," said Guedioura, who at 33 is the oldest member of the squad.
The Nottingham Forest journeyman has started five of six games in Egypt and insisted much of the credit for Algeria's eye-catching performances must go to former national team midfielder Belmadi.
"He really knows the players and what he wants. The good thing is he knows how to get through to the players and how to listen," said the 48-time international.
"If you don't have a good cook you can't have a good recipe. With that we realize we can be all together and it's important to be a team.
"It's important for Algeria because we used to have good individuals and now we feel very strong as a team and we want to achieve as a team."
A Youcef Belaili goal earned Algeria a 1-0 victory over Senegal in the group stage, but Belmadi was quick to point out the statistics were heavily weighted in their opponents' favor.
"Of course we can lose this match. We have an opponent that is number one in the FIFA rankings for Africa. They were at the World Cup. We were eliminated in the first round in 2017," said Belmadi.
"If you get to the final, the aim is obviously to win it. The game in the group stage wasn't decisive but now it is and that's the difference."
He added: "The most important is to stay concentrated and determined yet calm at the same time."
Algeria will have the backing of an additional 4,800 fans for the final.
Some of them will arrive in Cairo on military planes organized by Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui.
The Cup of Nations showpiece marks the climax not only of Algeria's campaign on the field, but of their fans' recent political campaign in the stands.
In April, long-standing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned after weekly Friday protests against his expected candidacy for elections, and football fans have been heavily involved in demonstrations.
"We know what's happening. The people we represent have been wonderful," said Guedioura
"It's magnificent what is happening. We're focused on football but we want to win the final for the people," he added.
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