Egyptian wrestling delegation chief suspended after second wrestler disappears

The Egyptian Olympic Committee has taken swift administrative action, suspending Ibrahim Al-Attar, the head of the national wrestling delegation. The decision comes after a second Egyptian wrestler, Mohamed Mostafa Ali Al-Shami, reportedly left the team during a transit stop at Rome Airport.

This marks the second such disappearance from the wrestling team during their return journey. Just a day prior, Ziad Haggag had also left the delegation during an earlier stop in Slovenia. The committee's media center indicated that initial investigations uncovered shortcomings and negligence in the supervision of delegation members.

As a result of these findings, Al-Attar has been referred to the committee's Ethics Committee for further investigation. The proceedings aim to determine the responsibilities of those involved according to the regulations governing sports delegations. The wrestling team had traveled from Taranto to Rome before their stop in the Italian capital for the journey to Cairo.

Reports suggest the delegation chief was responsible for holding team members' passports, a procedure that was reportedly not followed. The coach noticed Al-Shami's absence during the transit, attempted to locate him, but was unsuccessful, causing the coach to miss their return flight. The committee views the wrestler's departure as an individual decision, while the circumstances surrounding supervision and administrative procedures remain under scrutiny.