A court rules should not head the EFA, reports Inas Mazhar The Supreme Administrative Court has ruled the Egyptian Football Association President is not eligible to occupy the president's seat. Zaher was elected president in December 2008 after beating rivals Kamal Darwish, the former Zamalek club president, Osama Khalil, former Ismaili player and coach, Ashraf Shaker, the TV sports commentator, and Ehab Saleh, Goldi club chairman. Khalil sued to prevent Zaher from running for the elections after he had been previously charged with issuing bank cheques that bounced. The case had been in court for more than 18 months. The court sided with Khalil, ruling that Zaher "did not deserve" the president's seat. Zaher appealed to the Supreme Court but was turned down. According to the Supreme Court, just because Zaher repaid the checks does not "totally absolve him of guilt." His reputation, it said, has been besmirched, which should deny him such a "distinguished position." Zaher is the most successful president in the federation's history, having led the national team to four out of its six Africa Cup of Nations titles, in 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010. But he was recently roughed up in the press after FIFA fined Egypt for failing to protect two Algerian players who were hurt in a rock throwing incident during a World Cup qualifier in Cairo in November last year. FIFA also declined to punish Algeria following Egyptian claims that Algerian fans ran roughshod over Egyptian spectators during the World Cup decider in Omdurman on 18 November. Zaher had at the time said he had taken to FIFA a thick file full of evidence indicting Algerian fans. The Zaher court decision came just weeks after the president of the National Sports Council Hassan Sakr accused the EFA of spending more than LE15 million and failing to present documents as to how the money was spent. The issue has gone to the prosecutor-general. Zaher has not left home since then and reportedly refuses to receive visitors, not even his board members. He has also switched off his mobile and has not given any interviews to newspapers or on TV. The NSC awaits the court's findings before taking action. It is being reported that the vice president of the EFA Hani Abu Rida is to step in as interim president until elections are held within three months, according to the court. However, Darwish, who finished second in the voting behind Zaher, believes he should be president after finishing runner-up. Some analysts suggest the entire federation should be dissolved and elections held again not only for the president but for other posts.
