Egyptian Wrestling Team Head Suspended After Athlete’s Rome Disappearance

Egypt’s Olympic Committee has suspended Ibrahim Adel Al-Attar, head of the national wrestling delegation, and referred him to the Committee’s Ethics Committee. The decision follows the unauthorised departure of wrestler Mohamed Mostafa Ali Al-Shami from the delegation during a transit stop at Rome’s airport on the return leg from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy.

Initial findings prompt administrative action

The Olympic Committee announced the suspension on Thursday through its media centre. It stated the move stems from preliminary investigations indicating negligence, failure to monitor delegation members, and administrative shortcomings during the return journey — actions deemed serious enough to warrant formal administrative measures against the delegation head.

Timeline of the incident

The wrestling delegation departed Taranto Airport en masse for Rome, where it paused en route to Cairo after concluding its participation in the Mediterranean Games. During that transit period in Rome, Al-Shami left the group without authorisation. Although delegation protocol required the head to retain all team members’ passports throughout the journey, that procedure was not followed. The coaching staff only noticed Al-Shami’s absence during the layover and attempted unsuccessfully to locate him. One coach subsequently missed the flight back to Cairo in pursuit, while Al-Shami did not rejoin the delegation.

Scope of the investigation

The Olympic Committee treats Al-Shami’s departure as an individual decision by the athlete. Separately, the Committee is investigating the delegation’s internal monitoring mechanisms, organisational protocols, and administrative execution to determine lines of responsibility. Referral to the Ethics Committee does not constitute a final determination of liability; rather, it is a procedural step to hear all concerned parties before issuing final decisions in accordance with established regulations governing sports delegations.

Team performance at the Mediterranean Games

The Egyptian wrestling team concluded its Mediterranean Games campaign in Taranto with seven medals: two gold, two silver, and three bronze.