Zamalek's controversial midfielder Emam Ashour was hit with a fresh 12-game ban on Tuesday for making offensive chants against arch-rivals Ahly and some of their officials following the end of youth league game. The Egyptian Football Association's disciplinary committee also handed him an EGP 200,000 fine ($12,700) after he and some of his teammates were filmed making obscene chants against Ahly and their ex-chairman Hassan Hamdi in the dressing room following a last-round game featuring the bitter foes. Ashour, who is no stranger to controversy, was recently demoted to the youth side as a punishment from Zamalek's board for refusing to warm up during an African Champions League game against MC Alger last Saturday. This is the third time Ashour is handed a penalty from the EFA. He was given a 10-match suspensionfor kicking Ahly's veteran player Walid Soliman following an Egyptian Super Cup game in the United Arab Emirates in February 2020. Eight months later, he was banned for one league game after being involved in an altercation with Masry keeper Ahmed Masoud. Zamalek appealed the EFA's latest decision to sanction Ashour and said they would escalate the matter further if the ban is upheld. "Our board contacted the EFA's normalization committee to stress on our refusal of those decisions," the White Knights said in a statement. "The club management will escalate the matter even if we have to suspend our football activity." Ashour, 23, has proven a key Zamalek player this season after producing some fine displays. His versatility comes as an asset to the team as he can operate as a winger, attacking midfielder and holding midfielder. He has scored four goals and provided three assists in 16 appearances in all competitions so far this season. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
