Al-Shami cites financial struggles after leaving the Egypt wrestling camp

Egyptian wrestler Mohamed Al-Shami.

CAIRO, Aug 29: Egyptian freestyle wrestler Mohamed Al-Shami has spoken about his decision to leave the national team’s camp while competing at an international tournament, citing financial difficulties and concerns about his future.

The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports discovered that Al-Shami had left the camp hours after young wrestler Ziad Haggag also disappeared during the national team’s participation in a tournament in Slovakia.

The ministry referred both incidents to the Public Prosecution for legal action and an investigation into the administrative circumstances surrounding the two cases.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Al-Shami said the financial support he received was not enough to provide a decent standard of living or help him secure his future.

The wrestler said he was also unable to continue placing additional financial pressure on his father, noting that he is the eldest of his siblings.

Al-Shami said he had become increasingly concerned about what would happen if an injury ended his career or if he eventually retired without having any financial security, despite the achievements he had made in wrestling.

He illustrated his concerns by saying that even if he remained in the same position for another 15 years, he would still be unable to afford an apartment in which to start a married life.