The Egyptian government has launched a major campaign to stop foreign attempts to illegally naturalisation to its top athletes.
This urgent action follows the case of Olympic wrestling champion Mohamed Ibrahim, known as “Kisho,” who announced his plan to join the United States team.
The Egyptian government and its sports institutions strongly condemn this practice, calling it a serious violation of international sports rules and, critically, a form of illegal immigration and human trafficking. Officials argue that they are unfairly exploiting the social struggles of some of young Egyptian athletes.
To combat this, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr Ashraf Sobhi, has directed immediate coordination with global sports bodies, including the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the International Wrestling Federation (UWW).
As part of this coordinated effort, the African Wrestling Confederation has sent an official letter to the UWW demanding that all illegal naturalisation attempts targeting Egyptian players be stopped immediately. Furthermore, the issue has been placed on the UWW’s official agenda to ensure strong penalties are put in place against any group or individuals proven to be involved in illegal naturalisation.
This united African stance, praised by Egypt, sends a clear message against any practices that harm the dignity of athletes.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports confirms that the Egyptian state, under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, will stand firm against any attempts to undermine the rights or national identity of its youth.
While protecting its citizens is the top priority, the state also remains committed to providing better care for its champions in all sports.
The Ministry is ready to step in to fix any financial, technical, or administrative problems facing athletes, and urges all international federations to fully co-operate to prevent these moral and humanitarian threats to global sports from happening again.
