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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 September 2000 Issue No. 499 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 14 - 20 September 2000 Issue No. 499
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region Interview International Economy Opinion Culture Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters On their best behaviour
BY Abeer Anwar
He is heading almost 290 athletes to Sydney, all of whom aspire to win as many medals as possible. But what most concerns Essam Abdel-Moneim is not decor but decorum.
"As a head of the delegation, the most important thing I stressed to the athletes and their federations was sportsmanship and how best to represent Egypt," Abdel-Moneim, head of the sports section at Al-Ahram newspaper, said. "My instructions to the players was to behave themselves on and off the field. No one has the right to argue with referees over their decisions. The head of the delegation or his aides will file a complaint to the arbitration committee if need be."
"It's an honour to be chosen but it's a big responsibility." Abdel-Moneim must keep track of all of Egypt's athletes who will play in various sites scattered across Sydney. He might even need to travel by air to keep up with all of them. "But I promise to do my best."
Abdel-Moneim, who also heads the Egyptian Sports Press Association, said drugs were the domain of federation heads. If any player is tested positive, he or she will be sent back to Egypt "even if he was going to win Egypt's sole medal." The athlete in question, Abdel-Moneim added, will be expelled permanently from his or her federation.
Abdel-Moneim, a former goalkeeper and a current member of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, believes that the decision by several Egyptian athletes to abandon the team in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and seek residence in the United States will not recur. "I think there is nothing that would force the players this time because Australia's immigration policies are quite lenient so there is no need for anyone to escape. Our country is a democratic one and people are not suffering from any political or social pressure."
And who will hoist Egypt's flag aloft at the opening ceremony? "He must have a good personality and a long career in sports. He has to be a veteran of the Olympic Games. He must be tall so that the flag is raised as high as possible. He must be strong because he has to walk with the flag raised for more than two hours and it's very, very heavy, more than 40 kilogrammes."
