Egypt footballer kicked off team after sexual harassment allegations

Egyptian midfielder Amr Warda has been kicked off the national football team amid sexual harassment allegations that surfaced this week. The Egyptian Football Association said Warda would be excluded from the rest of Egypt’s matches at the Africa Cup of Nations to “ensure discipline and focus” within the team, according to The New Arab.

The scandal began when British-Egyptian Instagram model Merhan Keller shared screenshots of her conversations with Warda which show lewd and aggressive messages from him. More women came forward about Warda after Keller spoke out, sharing similar stories.

Twitter user @cryindivaa compiled these allegations in a long thread:

@amrwarda10, the Egyptian soccer player, is a sexual harasser (thread) pic.twitter.com/APfBUtbShD

— ⭒☆⭒ 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 ⭒☆⭒ (@cryindivaa) June 24, 2019

Following the allegations, many on Twitter mocked Warda’s messages.

He replied to Keller’s Instagram story with the message “Boxing? Haha,” resulting in countless memes:

Recently, and I mean a day ago this happened to model Merhan Keller. While not as severe, it reminded people of how creepy he is pic.twitter.com/W0ytv9andY

— ⭒☆⭒ 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 ⭒☆⭒ (@cryindivaa) June 24, 2019

https://twitter.com/RahmaniGhallab/status/1142596874563665920

https://twitter.com/Habibaaislam/status/1142599701180682240

Nobody:
Amr Warda: … pic.twitter.com/kJFZh21BZA

— رُشْدِي (@2bnroshd) June 23, 2019

The footballer blocked someone because they didn’t answer his phone call:

This is some obsessive behavior he literally blocked this person bc they didn’t answer his call. pic.twitter.com/3I8SsZeSAB

— ⭒☆⭒ 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐦 ⭒☆⭒ (@cryindivaa) June 24, 2019

no one:

Amr Warda: pic.twitter.com/udCqVfL29Y

— King Moose (@Mooose22) June 26, 2019

No one:
Amr warda: i blocked u

— ف (@xylotoo) June 24, 2019

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Some took the opportunity to dig at his football and his flirting skills:

amr warda’s flirting skills are the same as his soccer skills, both are trash.

— dima (@dimakhattabb) June 23, 2019

amr warda catches sexual harassment lawsuits faster than he catches balls

— fárida (@arthouuse) June 21, 2019

While one Twitter user created a thread comparing him to a range of rubbish bins:

Amr Warda as trash cans. A thread.

— Eavesdrop (@eavesdropegy) June 27, 2019

Some of Warda’s fellow footballers held up his jersey and signed “22” with their fingers (Warda’s number) in an apparent show of solidarity, which also drew criticism:

Egyptian players lifting Amr Warda's jersey & holding up 22 after he was excluded from the squad for alleged sexual harassment must be the worst team decision since Liverpool players wore Suarez shirts after he was banned for racism.

— Adam Moustafa (@AdamMousKF) June 26, 2019

What was @Pharaohs’ @Elmo_27 thinking, by raising this jersey, in an apparent show of solidarity with Amr Warda? Does the @EFA & @MoSalah know this is bad for the image of the team? @monaeltahawy, what do you think about all this? pic.twitter.com/xpaqjDRgg1

— Osasu Obayiuwana (@osasuo) June 27, 2019

Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah defended Warda on Twitter:

Women must be treated with the utmost respect. “No” means “no”. Those things are and must remain sacred. I also believe that many who make mistakes can change for the better and shouldn’t be sent straight to the guillotine, which is the easiest way out.

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) June 26, 2019

We need to believe in second chances… we need to guide and educate. Shunning is not the answer.

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) June 26, 2019

His comments divided Twitter, with some praising him for his stance and others arguing that he was being far too lenient:

https://twitter.com/LFCTomas_/status/1144031123824992256

If you really think we need to change the way we treat women in our culture, then punishing Warda for repeatedly harassing women is how start. This is one time in which the Egyptian Football Association is clearly right & you're clearly wrong. Warda has to face consequences

— Timothy E Kaldas (@tekaldas) June 27, 2019

You give someone a second chance when they are showing remorse for what they did! When they are willing to take responsibility and apologise to their victims, the women who had to endure his sexual harassment. But what you just did right now is enable a repeat sex offender!!

— Mona Seif (@Monasosh) June 27, 2019

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Warda released an apology video after the scandal, though some remained unimpressed:

Amr Warda issues an apology over the recent events that led to his departure from Egypt’s #AFCON2019 squad. pic.twitter.com/FtiLTVelAt

— KingFut.com (@King_Fut) June 27, 2019

https://twitter.com/mosegy1/status/1144057295518732288

https://twitter.com/PharaohAly/status/1144145521226997760

Warda has since deactivated his Instagram account, where he had 2 million followers.

This is not the first sexual harassment scandal Warda has been embroiled in. He was kicked off the Greek team PAOK in 2017 over accusations that he sexually harassed his teammates’ wives, allegations that Warda strongly denies.