Cairo, Egypt – 4 days after he disappeared from the Egyptian workforce camp on the 2026 Underneath-20 World Wrestling Championships in Slovakia final month, 19-year-old wrestler Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal posted a message on Fb.
“I don’t need my mom and father to be upset with me,” he wrote on August 29. “I did this so I may see myself as a person. I received’t return to Egypt, my beloved nation, till I carry it honour.
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“Every little thing I earn in a month is 700 Egyptian kilos [$13.7], and I’m a world [athlete] … In any case this strain, there was no manner I may return.”
On August 27, one other Egyptian wrestler, Mohamed al-Shami, 23, had escaped whereas his workforce transited by Rome on their manner house from the Mediterranean Video games in Taranto, Italy.
In his Fb post on August 29, Al-Shami mentioned he had come to really feel like a monetary burden on his household and that he needed to begin incomes cash for them.
“At a sure level I felt my father was exhausted, that life had grow to be too laborious for him,” he wrote. “I’m the eldest of my siblings, so somebody needed to make a sacrifice and take accountability.”
Whereas the authorities in Egypt could now attempt to take authorized motion in opposition to the 2 athletes, their posts drew a wave of sympathy from Egyptians on Fb, with many saying they understood the pressures that pushed the athletes to flee from a rustic mired in poverty.
Certainly, Hajjaj and al-Shami are removed from the primary Egyptian wrestlers to flee whereas overseas, and the hardships they describe are broadly shared throughout the game in Egypt.
Debt and despair
A 27-year-old wrestler, who received a number of gold medals for Egypt and requested to not be named, instructed Al Jazeera that fellow athletes beneath 20 years previous earn 700 Egyptian kilos ($13.7) to 800 ($15.7) Egyptian kilos a month.
Older worldwide gamers reportedly obtain between 5,000 kilos ($98.2) and 12,000 kilos ($235.7) a month, relying on their achievements.
“Wrestlers typically go into debt to cowl dietary supplements and residing prices whereas ready for prize cash which will or could not arrive,” he mentioned.
Ahmed Baghdouda left for France in 2023 instantly after successful silver on the African Wrestling Championships, reportedly over low pay. Tarek Abdel Salam defected to Bulgaria in 2017 amid alleged medical neglect and later received European gold beneath Bulgaria’s flag. That yr, Ibrahim Ghanem additionally selected to remain in France, subsequently successful a World Championship title for the nation.
In October 2025, Mohamed Ibrahim el-Sayed – common as Kishu and a six-time African wrestling champion, two-time U23 world champion, and bronze medallist within the 67kg class on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – introduced he had taken “step one” in direction of switching his sporting allegiance to symbolize the US, posting coaching images from a facility with the US flag behind him.
Requested by Al Jazeera by a messaging app why wrestlers hold fleeing Egypt, Kishu blamed the wrestling federation.
“It’s the one physique that may present an acceptable atmosphere, however the reverse retains occurring,” he mentioned from the US. “The issue isn’t nearly cash – it goes a lot deeper than that. After I retire, what am I speculated to do? God forbid I get injured – what occurs to me then?”
“I’d take the identical determination many times and I counsel Egypt’s worldwide gamers to give attention to their coaching and purchase their rights as a result of it’s their lives which might be being wasted.”
Al Jazeera reached out to the president and the vp of the Egyptian Wrestling Federation (EWF), in addition to the president of the Egyptian Nationwide Olympic Committee (ENOC), for his or her feedback, however none of them responded.
Nonetheless, the EWF’s workforce psychologist Hossam Mohamed mentioned the disappearance of gamers overseas will not be merely right down to poor monetary compensation or neglect, insisting the state supplies good help to wrestlers – whether or not by monetary bonuses, coaching camps overseas, or lodging and meals. He mentioned medal bonuses can attain 5 million Egyptian kilos ($98,135) for an Olympic gold.
“The wrestling federation, in comparison with main sports activities federations, has restricted assets in mild of the absence of broadcasting rights and the industrial and viewers revenues loved by soccer,” he famous.
“[But the] core drawback for [athletes] isn’t solely what they obtain throughout their enjoying years, however what awaits them after retirement or harm.”
On Hajjaj and al-Shami, he mentioned they competed in worldwide championships, however “receiving bonuses is tied to reaching outcomes – a participant who doesn’t end in a high place doesn’t obtain a match bonus”, and neither was capable of obtain podium finishes in latest competitions.
Gamal el-Badrawy, a former head of Egypt’s kickboxing federation, referred to as on the Ministry of Youth and Sports activities to impose tighter oversight of nationwide sporting federations and to overview bonuses, allowances and medical insurance.
“[Athletes] can’t be solely absolved of accountability, however the weak monetary and administrative system is the principle driver,” he instructed Al Jazeera.
Prosecutors examine
In the meantime, Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports activities has referred Hajjaj and al-Shami to the general public prosecutor, accusing them of breaking the principles governing nationwide delegations.
The ENOC individually referred Brigadier Common Ibrahim Adel – EWF secretary-general and head of the wrestling delegation on the match in Taranto – to its ethics committee for investigation and suspended him from his duties for permitting al-Shami to flee.
Adel refused to touch upon the criticisms in opposition to the EWF, however instructed Al Jazeera he believed the strikes in opposition to him had been unfair, pointing to precautionary measures already in place earlier than the journey: notarised undertakings signed by each the gamers’ guardians and the gamers themselves committing them to return to Egypt.
In the meantime, fleeing athletes typically depart behind distressed households.
Hajjaj’s father, Hajjaj Abu Gabal, instructed Al Jazeera over the cellphone that he was deeply nervous for his son after he left the nationwide workforce in Slovakia, noting that he had switched off his cellphone for a very long time and didn’t reply to calls.
“I signed the notarised parental consent required for my underage son to journey,” he mentioned, as 21 is the age of full authorized maturity in Egypt. “However nobody from the wrestling federation had contacted me for the reason that escape.”
Hajjaj, in response to his father, mentioned wrestling required bills for meals, drink, clothes and different wants, together with prices associated to the coaching interval and participation in championships, and these bills had been a burden on him and the household.
“No matter occurs, he’s nonetheless my son,” the daddy mentioned.
“I hold praying for him to be secure and safe, and should God compensate him for the troublesome instances he went by.”
This text was printed in collaboration with Egab, a platform that empowers journalists from throughout the World South to publish tales in worldwide media shops.
