Egyptian Journalists Syndicate takes aim at Hossam Hassan

The president of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate has taken aim at Hossam Hassan in a new dispute over complaints targeting sports journalists. The Syndicate expressed solidarity with three commentators and urged the Football Federation to contact Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan promptly, seek the withdrawal of the complaints and encourage dialogue.

The statement backed Abu al-Maati Zaki, Ahmed Abdel Basset and Mohamed El-Mahdi after reports circulated that Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan had filed complaints against them. The reported action followed the publication of information and details relating to the sporting world. The Syndicate also described sports criticism as a fundamental right, saying that assessing national-team technical staffs and their decisions is an essential part of sports journalism, provided professional rules are respected.

The statement said complaints against journalists over published information or critical opinions—even when those views differ from a technical staff’s position—fall outside the normal relationship between a national team and the sports press. Khaled El-Balshy argued that professional disagreements should ordinarily be addressed through a right of reply, rather than an immediate escalation to legal action. He warned that complaints filed before professional response procedures are completed could intimidate journalists and hinder the reporting of information that some parties might find unwelcome.

The Syndicate said Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan could instead have presented their account and the facts supporting their objections, or submitted a complaint to the professional body responsible for reviewing matters related to journalistic work. It added that any proven professional misconduct should be handled through the appropriate institutional channels, while protecting the freedom to criticize.

In a broader criticism, the Syndicate also held the Federation responsible for helping foster cooperation between the national team and media organizations. The dispute stems from complaints filed against several journalists following publications or remarks about the brothers in sporting circles. At its heart, the controversy concerns critical coverage of the national team’s performances and the decisions of its staff, as well as how disagreements between football and the press should be addressed.