Cairo-based club Zamalek said on Friday that they would boycott local media in support of controversial chairman Mortada Mansour after his recent snub by most Egyptian newspapers, television channels and websites. Zamalek had already decided last month to boycott television channels but have now extended the blackout to all media. Egyptian media have largely refrained from using Mansour's name since he vehemently attacked CBC TV anchor Lamis El-Hadidi in October regarding parliament elections coverage related to his son Ahmed Mansour, who won a seat representing the Free Egyptians Party. Mansour senior also stood in the elections and won a seat. "The board of directors affirms its full support for Mortada Mansour as the club's president and a parliament member," Zamalek said in a statement. "The club is proud of many achievements on all fronts under his stewardship … including winning titles after years of repeated failures. "Therefore, the board has decided to prohibit any board member, technical staff member of any sports team, and any player, especially football players, from giving any interviews to newspapers, television programmes and websites." Mansour, an outspoken lawyer who is serving a third stint as Zamalek's chairman, is credited by many for turning around the fortunes of the football team, having spent big over two summer transfer windows to bolster the squad of an underachieving side who had lived in the shadows of illustrious rivals Ahly since 2004. But his fiery and foul-mouthed rants often land him in hot water, prompting several media channels and Egypt's Journalists Syndicate to boycott his interviews. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/173250.aspx
