Egypt football association to investigate 'pro-Sisi' striker

CAIRO

The Egyptian Football Association has referred a footballer to a disciplinary panel for reportedly making a hand sign symbolizing support for army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.

Having scored in a Wednesday match against the Ismaili football club, Salah Amin, a striker for army football team Tala'ea al-Gaish, made a "C" sign with his hand – seen by many as a sign of support for al-Sisi.

The move triggered uproar on Facebook and Twitter, with activists arguing that it had been made in al-Sisi's support during the game, which ended 1-1.

But Amin insisted that the sign had nothing to do with the army chief, who is widely seen as the main architect of the July 3 ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi by the military.

"I didn't make any political signs," Amin said.

The hand signal, he said, had been meant as a tribute to one of his friends, whose birthday was on Wednesday. The sign he had used had referred to festive spray commonly used at birthday parties.

"That's why some people thought I used the 'C' sign," Amin said.

Egyptians generally use "CC" to refer to the army chief, who is widely expected to contest Egypt's upcoming presidential elections.

Last December, the Egyptian Football Association threatened to punish players who used political signs during Egyptian league matches.

One month earlier, Cairo's Al-Ahly club put its striker up for sale after the latter flashed the four-fingered "Rabaa salute," which commemorates hundreds of Morsi supporters killed during the violent dispersal last August of a major sit-in in eastern Cairo.

englishnews@aa.com.tr