We care

By Inas Mazhar

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It is agreed that any mature adult has the right to do what he or she wants as long as it is within the law. No-one is obliged to explain his or her actions. But celebrities, people in the public eye, are not so free. Their lives belong to a great extent to the public.

Since August, Egypt's wrestler Karam Gaber, the Olympic gold medallist, has become a celebrity here and abroad. Having won Egypt's first Olympic gold medal in 56 years -- since the Olympic Games in London in 1948 -- Gaber has made one headline after the other. More and more people want to know his story and consequently his life has also become public property. Thus, the virtual disappearance of Gaber has led to many people asking one question: where did he go and why?

As of now few people know Gaber's true whereabouts. His mobile phone is switched off and his family in Alexandria are his spokesmen, although they have given conflicting accounts. He has supposedly gone to the US where he is on vacation visiting his brother. Others claim he has taken US citizenship and will play for the US in Beijing 2008. Thus, he has been accused by some officials and some in the media of being a traitor to his country.

According to the scant reports available Gaber claimed he had not received the appropriate appreciation for his victory and that his prize money was tiny to that received by other Olympic champions especially in the US.

Another version says Gaber never left town and he would never represent anybody except Egypt.

What is more or less clear is that Gaber was peeved at having to return $10,000 (LE62,000) to the Egyptian National Olympic Committee which had originally given him the money for his Athens gold medal. The NOC announced that the bonus that the five Olympic medal winners received in Athens would be deducted according to the NOC regulations.

According to NOC President Mounir Sabet, the rules state that any bonus given during a championship is part of the overall prize money and therefore whoever receives it should agree to return it. Gaber, for instance, was asked to return the LE62,000 out of more than LE1.5 million (he received from the government, businessmen and associations.

"Everybody knows the regulations," Sabet said. "We haven't fooled anybody. They knew in Athens that the sum would be deducted. The money they received is not a gift but a bonus. This is the government's money."

Some medal winners returned the money; others refused. Gaber was one of them. He then reportedly told a local newspaper that the country didn't appreciate him or his achievement and that it wasn't worth remaining here and playing in the name of Egypt.

While all of Egypt is fully appreciative of what Gaber has done, he should understand that Egypt is a developing country, and that our resources are limited. This is a fact; he has to take it or leave it. He is free as we said to choose his own life especially if he feels it would be better for his future if he immigrates. This has nothing to do with patriotism. He is a professional sportsman and he has the right to be concerned about his future. But he doesn't have the right to claim that he has been ignored by his people.

Gaber should also be aware that in the US, he would be but one among hundreds of Olympic champions. In Egypt, he would be the one and only.

Gaber received the highest decoration in the country when he was awarded the Merit of Order of the first degree by President Hosni Mubarak. He also received the richest prize money ever in the history of Egypt. These accolades surely must mean the country cares.