An allegation of religious discrimination during youth football trials at Al-Ittihad Alexandria Club Demands An official procedure, as the Egyptian authorities launched an investigation after a young player was excluded due to his Christian identity.
The case came to light after Mervat Younan’s mother, He claimed One of the coaches rejected her son during youth trials at the club because his name revealed his Christian faith instead of evaluating him on his football ability.
In response, the Ministry of Youth and Sports formed A fact-finding committee to investigate the complaint. According to the Ministry, the committee concluded that the coach committed a violation, and that the child’s exclusion had nothing to do with his athletic performance.
The Ministry then instructed Al-Ittihad Alexandria Club to investigate the coach and impose the appropriate disciplinary penalty within 48 hours. The case was also referred to the Public Prosecution to determine whether any criminal offenses had been committed.
Commenting on the case, the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt Welcome The government’s rapid response, describing it as a positive step towards enforcing accountability and combating discrimination.
The Council stressed that discrimination on the basis of religion or belief violates the Egyptian Constitution and undermines the principles of citizenship, equality, and respect for human dignity.
The National Council for Human Rights also said that it will continue to monitor the issue as part of its constitutional mandate while cooperating with state institutions and civil society organizations to promote human rights and address discriminatory practices.
Article 53 of the Egyptian Constitution guarantees equality before the law for all citizens, and prohibits discrimination on several grounds, including religion and belief. It also classifies discrimination and incitement to hatred as criminal offenses and requires the state to take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination.
Christianity is the second largest religion in Egypt, and they are estimated to constitute approximately 10 percent of the country’s population, with an estimated population of 9.5 million or 10 million people.