Egyptian Wrestling Federation demands repatriation of gold medal-winning wrestler from Bulgaria

The head of the Egyptian Wrestling Federation (EWF) demanded that gold medal-winning wrestler Tarek Abdel Salam be sent back to the federation from Bulgaria, or that the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation (BWF) pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss Francs.

Abdel Salam faced criticism from Egyptians after waving the Bulgarian flag upon winning a gold medal in the European Senior Wrestling Championship's Greco-Roman 75 kilogram weight category, held in the Serbian town of Novi Sad on Sunday.

The 23-year-old has been living in Bulgaria for two years, where he has been working in a kebab restaurant and married a Bulgarian citizen. He reportedly left the country after the EWF refused to fund his medical treatment for a back injury, which he incurred during a wrestling match in 2015.

Moataz al-Demerdash congratulated Abdel Salam on his win on TV talk show Teseen Daqiqa (90 Minutes), broadcast on the privately owned Mehwar satellite channel, questioning why the EWF did not ensure his treatment, and adding, “You may have raised the Bulgarian flag, but in the end you are a son of Egypt.”

Former EWF manager Mahmoud Fathallah confirmed that the federation’s unwillingness to treat Abdel Salam’s spinal injury pushed him to leave, although Shawky Omran, acting executive manager of the EWF claimed the federation did not refuse to finance his treatment and helped prepare him to be an international champion.

“How many other athletes from Egypt must leave to realize their dreams?” Demerdash grumbled.

Abdel Salam spoke to the DMC satellite channel on Monday confirming that the EWF did not pay for his treatment and adding that he wished he could have raised the Egyptian flag, but that he spent all his savings on his treatment.

Speaking to Mada Masr on Tuesday, however, Omran said the Egyptian Sports Ministry had covered all of Abdel Salam’s medical costs in 2015, but that he decided to migrate to Bulgaria, where he became a citizen as a result of his marriage to a Bulgarian woman.

“The BWF is responsible for either returning Tarek Abdel Salam to the EWF, or paying the stipulated fine of 100,000 Swiss Francs,” Omran said, adding that this has been communicated several times to the BWF.

Abdel Salam won several medals with the EWF prior to moving to Bulgaria, including a gold medal at the 2015 African Games and a bronze medal at the 2013 Junior World Youth Championship.