Youssef said the team is separate from the individual and that every player is responsible for himself. “The player is obliged to respect the team and club he is playing for,” he added.
Magdi Selim, legal adviser for the Olympic committee, said he addressed the Egyptian Football Association to notify him of any outcome from investigations with Abdel Zaher.
Abdel Zaher’s move stirred controversy. Once the match ended, photos of him flashing the sign appeared on social media platforms.
Sports Minister Taher Abu Zeid said he had not paid full attention to Abdel Zaher's actions.
In a phone call with privately-owned TV channel Al-Youm on Sunday, the minister said Abdel Zaher’s action differed from that of an Egyptian Kung Fu athlete who wore a Rabaa T-shirt after a recent victory. He was determined to give out a political message that challenged his country, Abu Zeid claimed.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
