CAIRO - The Olympic team, headed by coach Hani Ramzi, has announced that two key senior national team players – Al-Ahly right-winger Ahmed Fathi and Zamalek playmaker Mahmoud Abdel-Razeq 'Shikaballah' (Shika) – will join the Olympic national team squad for the Toulon friendly international tournament to be held in France from May 22 to June 3. "Shikaballah and Fathi will also take part in the preparation camp ahead of the Toulon championship, to give the duo time to adjust to the rest of the squad," a source at the Olympic team said. The Toulan international tournament will witness the participation of the Olympics teams of the Netherlands, Belarus, Mexico, Morocco, France and of course Egypt. Ramzi is entitled to include Fathi and Shikaballah in the squad this year, because the regulations allow him to use three players that are over 23 years old in the Olympic team. “But this decision won't be officially announced until nearer the London Games. In the meantime, I'm also considering Enppi striker Ahmed Abdel-Zaher for the Olympic training camp,” he explained. The team will take part in many international tournaments and friendlies in the coming period. “After the Toulon tournament, we're going to have another camp in Paraguay, as well as a friendly against Paraguay in late May," Ramzi stressed. "Despite the difficulties this country is facing and the cancellation of the Premier League, we are determined to continue with the training and the camps, either abroad or at home, so the players are fit and tactically prepared for London later this year.” Last week, the Egyptian Olympic team defeated FC Basel of Switzerland 4-3 in a friendly game, courtesy of goals from Mohamed el-Nini, Mohamed Salah (two) and Marwan Mohssen. "Through these friendlies, the team are improving all the time, despite the cancellation of the Premier League," he added. The Young Pharaohs have played many friendlies; they even defeated the Pharaohs' senior national team 2-1 earlier this month. Prior to that, they had slumped to a 3-1 defeat against 2011 European champions Spain in a friendly on February 29 in Madrid. The Egyptian Olympic team will also face the Italian Olympic team in an international friendly game to be held in Italy on April 17.
