Seven out of 20 sports figures won seats in the new People's Assembly. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab sees why they sought a role in the decision-making process Twenty parliamentary candidates who work in sports-related fields sat for this month's elections in the hope of winning a seat for the next five years in this, the ninth People's Assembly session. Seven candidates won. Most are members of the National Democratic Party (NDP) except for one who ran as an independent. Most are presidents or deputies of sports clubs except for who is a former footballing great. Two candidates are representing labourers. Why did a relatively large number of sportsmen try to enter parliament? Some suggest they were targeting parliamentary immunity. Others think they are decent representatives of sports in parliament. And some voted for them, believing they understand their problems better than most since sports enters homes more than other issues. Shobeir, the only famous name among the winners, considers sportsmen good representatives of society in general, not just in parliament. Once the famed goalkeeper of Ahli Club and the national team, he is one of the few ex-players to be an MP, another being the president of the Football Federation Samir Zaher. Twenty years in the pitch and eight in football administration, including deputy of Egypt's Football Association gave Shobeir a vital push. Not to mention a popular soccer commentator and TV sports presenter. But despite the many posts and titles, Shobeir's ambitions grew to now include politics. "Politics now attracts me because I want to be part of the decision-making process for development not only in sports, which is what I'm doing in the EFA, but in all fields in Egypt," Shobeir told Al-Ahram Weekly. "People think sportsmen don't understand anything except sports, but I am sure we understand the people and the problems of the country better because we live with the people in the pitch and in the stands. We are so close. We know their fears and what makes them who they are. We know the public's social and economic problems better than academics." Shobeir added that he did not need parliamentary immunity because his fame and people's admiration "are more powerful immunity than the parliament seat". Shobeir, together with El-Mamdouh El-Husseini and Mohamed Mouselhi, are new MPs. El-Husseini, treasurer of Zamalek Club and owner of many schools, won the seat in the Omraneya constituency where his schools and three non- governmental associations are located. "I have my influence in the area and in the education given to the youth," said El-Husseini. "I don't need immunity. I just want to extend my services to society in a way that could be more effective in decision- making." Mouselhi, deputy president of Ittihad of Alexandria Club, owns a company. His economic input clear in the sports field, he has bought several players with his own money. "Such a person can add to decision- making in parliament better than others," said Mahmoud Marouf, a sports writer. "Mouselhi's economic and sports experience weigh better than academics or businessmen." Mouselhi is the only sports member who doesn't belong to the NDP. Four winners are former MPs. Abdel-Ahad Gamaleddin, former head of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, won his seat for the fourth successive time. Abdel-Reheem El-Ghoul regained the seat he lost in the 2000 elections. He headed the youth committee in the 7th session of parliament. Sayed Gohar, deputy president of Tersana Club, and Hussein Megawer, general secretary of Suez Cement Club, won their seats for the third time. Both are the only sportsmen that represented labourers. The controversial president of Zamalek Club, Mortada Mansour, initially lost his bid to reclaim a seat but after petitioning the courts he has apparently won, although a final verdict has yet to be reached. A win in parliament for Mansour would give him some badly needed support following several incidents which have damaged Zamalek's reputation, including a one-season suspension of its handball team and an unprecedented fracas in the club's grounds that included knives and guns. Both were instigated by Mansour. Three presidents of clubs in Ismailia -- Mahmoud Osman, honourary president of Ismaili, Salah Abdel-Ghani, president of the Ismaili Club and Mohamed Raheel, former president of Ismaili Club -- lost their seats to the Muslim Brotherhood. Ahmed Abu Zeid, head of the Arab Affairs Committee in the 8th round of parliament, former treasurer of Ismaili club and current president of Martyrs Club, lost his seat to a Wafd candidate. Abu Zeid was an MP for almost 20 years. Sports writer Marouf lost to a Muslim Brotherhood candidate. Marouf, who won the last elections with 33,000 votes, the most of any candidate, sees his loss as an outcome of the policy of the government in failing to solve major issues such as unemployment. "Instead of voting for me and despite the services done to them, the public refused to vote for the party I belong to and voted for the Muslim Brotherhood in hopes for a change," Marouf told the Weekly. "Also during [US Secretary of State] Condoleezza Rice's visit to Egypt in February, she gave the green light to the Islamists. The US gave them a green light and thus the public wanted to see a change as well." Marouf wanted to complete what he started five years ago. He was a member of three parliamentary committees, none of which was related to sports. "I'm fed up with talk that sportsmen understand just sports. I wanted to change such a belief. I help sports in the field of journalism and came to parliament to help issue laws. It's an extension of my work. "All must know that I didn't want the seat for immunity because journalists are better protected than MPs." Marouf foresees a short life span for this parliament due to the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood although he doubts the elections will be repeated. "Eleven died, hundreds were injured, and judges were tainted . That's too much. A decision dissolving the parliament and holding new elections should be wisely thought about before taken." Two famous Ahli players, Hossam Hassan and Musheer Hanafi, retreated from the election battle on the last day. Hassan, Egypt's most prolific goal scorer, said, "People asked me to enter parliament to help them and speak for them but I found mysterious things going on before the elections which I couldn't figure out, so I quit at once." Al-Ahram 's sports editor and prominent writer Hassan El-Mistikawi sees it the same way as sportsmen. "Sports and politics are two faces of the same coin especially if you want to progress," said El-Mistikawi. "It can't be done without people who are not in sports. They mingle better with the society at large." Human beings were once divided into two sections: the mind and the muscles. The Greek divided the country into Sparta and Athens. Sparta stands for the fighters and the muscles whereas Athens represents the philosophers and the mind. "This classification is wrong," El-Mistikawi said. "It means that players can't rule and stars can't lead a nation. Just politicians. No, all people have mind and muscles and can think for themselves. It's a national phenomenon that should be changed."
