The Giza Criminal Court of Appeals, convened at the Zeinhom Courts Complex, brought to a close one of the cases that recently preoccupied the sports public in Egypt, as it upheld the one-year suspended prison sentence against Ramadan Sobhi, star of the Egyptian national team and Pyramids FC.
Details of the ruling and background of the forgery case
The details of the incident date back to the player's accusation of participating in the forgery of official documents related to exams at the Pharaohs Institute in the Abu Nimras area of Giza Governorate. The Giza Criminal Court issued an initial ruling last December sentencing the player to one year in prison with hard labor. The player's defense team then appealed the ruling, and the final decision upheld the sentence but suspended its execution. This means the player will not be imprisoned for the time being unless he commits another legal violation during his sentence.
Al Ahly's stance and support for its former player
In a notable development reflecting the historical ties between the player and his former club, Al Ahly intervened legally in the appeal proceedings. Two days before the appeal verdict was issued, Ashraf Abdel Aziz, the player's lawyer, announced a legal arrangement that allowed Al Ahly's legal advisor's office to join Ramadan Sobhi's defense team. This move came in response to the Red Devils' desire to support one of their own, who rose through the club's youth ranks, despite the player's subsequent transfer to Pyramids FC in a deal that sparked widespread controversy in the sports world at the time.
The doping crisis and the fate of Ramadan Sobhi's career
The crises plaguing Ramadan Sobhi don't end with the criminal aspect; the player faces a greater challenge that threatens his entire football career. Last November, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a harsh ruling, suspending the player for four years, following accusations of tampering with a doping test sample. Although the player appealed this decision to the Swiss Federal Court, the suspension remains in effect, keeping him away from both domestic and international competitions until a final ruling is issued on his appeal.
The impact of successive crises on the player's career
Ramadan Sobhi is considered one of the most prominent talents in Egyptian football over the past decade, having played professionally in the English Premier League with Stoke City and Huddersfield Town, and been a key player for both the Egyptian national team and the Olympic team. These successive legal rulings, both criminal and sporting, put the 27-year-old's career in jeopardy and raise questions about his ability to return to his previous form should he manage to overcome his international suspension.
