Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has given the Egyptian FA a list of demands regarding his security while on international duty. Reuters
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has given the Egyptian FA a list of demands regarding his security while on international duty. Reuters
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has given the Egyptian FA a list of demands regarding his security while on international duty. Reuters
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has given the Egyptian FA a list of demands regarding his security while on international duty. Reuters

Mohamed Salah calls for Egyptian FA sackings unless demands are met


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Mohamed Salah's bitter feud with the Egyptian Football Association took a new turn on Wednesday with a British newspaper reporting the Liverpool forward had demanded the resignations of officials if they do not offer him more protection from fans while on international duty.

A report in The Sun newspaper said a letter sent to Hany Abo Rida, the EFA president, by Salah's lawyer Ramy Abbas on August 23 accused the organisation of treating Salah in an "abhorrent manner" over issues relating to the player's security arrangements and use of image rights and that he "cannot think of another national association which would treat any player in the disgraceful and abhorrent manner as you have treated Mohamed".

Salah, 26, is a global superstar and a hero to millions of not only Egyptian supporters but Muslims across the world on the back of a record-breaking season for both club and country in which he helped Liverpool reach the Uefa Champions League final. He was also named players' and football writers' player of the year in England and helped his country qualify for a first World Cup in 28 years.

The attention has become somewhat intrusive, though, with Salah complaining of fans knocking on his hotel bedroom in the middle of the night demanding autographs while training sessions regularly descend into chaos by fans invading the pitch, according to the report.

The former Chelsea and Roma winger is alarmed by the lack of security he receives from the EFA when on international duty, the letter says, which this week was leaked by the EFA to a top Egyptian football website.

In the letter, Salah calls for the resignations of EFA officials unless they agree to a list of demands that includes:

  • The EFA stopping fans camping outside his hotel room and knocking on his door in the small hours demanding pictures and autographs
  • Extra security outside his hotel room and lifts on the hotel floor he is staying on
  • All phone calls to his hotel room are blocked
  • To be accompanied by two security guards "at all times" while on international duty
  • To be exempt from promotional work on behalf of the EFA
  • To be picked up from the airport by the EFA and taken directly to his hotel room in the "most discrete manner possible".

Abbas said he is yet to receive a response and has threatened to send another letter on September 2 demanding that Rida and the entire EFA board resigns within five days unless Salah's demands are met.

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Read more:

Mohamed Salah dispute with Egyptian FA reignited: 'My messages are being ignored'

In pictures: Mohamed Salah at the centre of dive storm as Liverpool defeat Crystal Palace

Mohamed Salah's World Cup: A story of hope, goals and tears

Mo Salah building bridges for young Arab footballers

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Rida is said to furious at the letter's tone and content, although has yet to issue an official response. It comes in the same week that Salah accused the organisation of routinely ignoring his complaints about its unauthorised use of his image.

The EFA responded in a statement on Monday, saying it would discuss Salah's demands with regards to the image rights issue but has yet to respond to the latest set of demands. Salah's letter to the EFA also raised the issue of image rights, with the player particularly unhappy that his image was used to promote sponsor WE on the squad’s World Cup plane. Salah has a personal deal with rival telecommunications company Vodafone.

Perhaps aware that his client may be open to accusations of seeking special treatment from the EFA, Abbas tweeted: “On the contrary, I’d be pleased if these requests were made available to every player in the team.”

Salah has endured a rollercoaster few months after getting injured in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in May. He regained enough fitness to play twice for Egypt at the World Cup, scoring in both games, but the Pharaohs were eliminated at the group stage on zero points.

Reports that Salah planned to retire following Egypt's exit from Russia were quickly downplayed by the player, although the latest row will do little to quell speculation this time around if the EFA do not bow to his demands.

Salah, who has 35 goals in 59 international appearances, scored 44 goals in 52 appearances for Liverpool last season and is already off the mark this campaign with goals in the wins over West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion as Jurgen Klopp's side boast a 100 per cent record in the Premier League.

Egypt face Niger in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 8.

It is not yet clear if Salah will join up with Javier Aguirre's squad.

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Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin

Director: Shawn Levy

Rating: 3/5

In numbers

1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:

  • 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
  • 150 tonnes to landfill
  • 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal

800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal

Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year

25 staff on site

 

Captain Marvel

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law,  Ben Mendelsohn

4/5 stars

MATCH INFO

Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)

The biog

Birthday: February 22, 1956

Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh

Arrived in UAE: 1978

Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.

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A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

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