Mido Breaks Silence: Words Twisted, Not Aiming at Egypt’s Pharaohs
19 January 2026
Background of the Suspension
Ahmed Hossam "Mido", the former Egypt national team star, issued a formal statement after the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, led by Khaled Abdel Aziz, ordered his suspension from media appearances and referred him for investigation.
Mido's Response and Context
The ruling followed remarks he made on a podcast with journalist Abu Al-Maati Zaki, in which he acknowledged that Hassan Shehata, the former Egypt coach, relied on certain sheikhs during the Pharaohs' 2006-2010 era.
In his official statement, Mido said he has noticed attempts to misrepresent some of his remarks and to extract them from their original context.
He stressed that he never intended to belittle Egypt or its achievements, or to imply that any victories were won by non-sporting means.
Mido added that he is proud to have worn the national team jersey and that his discussions were social and cultural, reflecting beliefs within the sports community, not a critique of the Pharaohs.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions in how former players speak publicly and how media bodies regulate content.
Punchline 1: If misquoting a footballer is a sport, then the media factory should have a goalkeeper. Punchline 2: I guess the mic is a striker—it scores, but sometimes it shoots offside quotes.
