Shikabala's suspension adds to the club's many woes, reports Ahmed Morsy The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA's decision to suspend Zamalek's talented winger Shikabala after he was handed a six-month ban and a 990,000 euro fine last December for making an illegitimate move from Greece's PAOK to Zamalek. Upon the Cairo giants' appeal, the CAS froze the ban until announcing their final ruling regarding the transfer wrangle. Thus, Shikabala will serve a three-and-a-half-month ban because he had been already out of action for more than two months when the initial decision was taken. The Greek side described the decision in a statement on their website, saying the CAS ruling had come in their favour and that Zamalek's appeal against Shikabala's ban has been rejected. The suspension, if confirmed, will come as a jolt to Zamalek, who are preparing for two crucial meetings against arch- rivals Ahli this month. Zamalek face Ahli in the CAF Champions League on 20 July. Both sides meet again seven days later in the Egyptian Super Cup. To keep Shikabala in the squad after his suspension ends, Zamalek will have to pay the player's hefty fine. Hence, Zamalek may now opt to sell star striker Amr Zaki to Wigan Athletic to gain the funds needed. Zaki has threatened to lodge an official complaint to FIFA if the Egyptian FA did not fulfill his demand to terminate his contract with Zamalek. Earlier last month, Wigan Athletic sent a letter to the Egyptian FA demanding to annul Zaki's deal with Zamalek. The combative striker wants to depart Zamalek due to his strained relationship with the club's chairman Mamdouh Abbas. Although Abbas previously promised Zaki he would allow him to move abroad following the Egyptian Cup final, he is reluctant to accept Wigan's offer to sign Zaki on a season-long loan without first finding a substitute. Formerly, Zamalek and Wigan agreed a �1.5 loan fee with a first option to sign him for �4.5m next summer. The Latics will have to pay an extra �500,000 if Zaki scores 10 Premier League goals this season. Another trouble spot for Zamalek is former defender Amir Azmi who decided not to rejoin Zamalek only two weeks after the club's announcement that Azmi had signed a four-year contract. Azmi, whose father is a prominent figure on the Zamalek board, claimed he was under pressure since joining the club, saying he heard people claiming that he signed for the intention of helping his father in upcoming club elections. As a result, he made a U-turn and sealed a move to Turkish Super Lig side OFTAS Spor, who finished 11th in the league last season. Azmi will start his third European quest following spells with PAOK, Debreceni and Anorthosis. Zamalek said they had not been informed about any European club wanting to sign Azmi and that there was nothing to discuss. "The player is ours," Zamalek said. After their failure to appoint Italian Alberto Zaccheroni as their new coach, many Zamalek fans criticised the club for not being able to lure a high-profile manager to Cairo. The new coach, German Reiner Hollmann, is expected to make a difference. Hollmann, who replaces Dutchman Ruud Kroll, was in charge of Ahli in the mid-1990s, capturing three league crowns and one cup.
