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Egyptian club suspends player for Morsi support

CAIRO — Egypt’s newly crowned African club champion Al Ahly said yesterday (Nov 11) it has suspended striker Ahmed Abdul Zaher without pay for using a four-fingered hand gesture linked to supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in a goal celebration.

Egyptian Al Ahly player Ahmed Abdul Zaher appears to make a four-fingered hand signal after scoring a goal, a gesture that is linked with support for ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, during the African Champions League second leg final match against South Africa's Orlando Pirates in Cairo on Nov 10, 2013. Photo: AP

Egyptian Al Ahly player Ahmed Abdul Zaher appears to make a four-fingered hand signal after scoring a goal, a gesture that is linked with support for ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, during the African Champions League second leg final match against South Africa's Orlando Pirates in Cairo on Nov 10, 2013. Photo: AP

CAIRO — Egypt’s newly crowned African club champion Al Ahly said yesterday (Nov 11) it has suspended striker Ahmed Abdul Zaher without pay for using a four-fingered hand gesture linked to supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in a goal celebration.

Al Ahly says Abdul Zaher was suspended yesterday for showing the sign after scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates in the African Champions League final second leg in Cairo on Sunday. Ahly won 3-1 on aggregate for its eighth continental club title.

Sport is also starting to reflect Egypt’s deep polarisation. A kung fu competitor was suspended for displaying the sign on a T-shirt in a tournament in Russia last month. AP

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