Zamalek’s Mostafa Shalaby and Nabil Emad have been given a one-month prison sentence and fined 200,000 dirhams ($55,000) each for assault during this month’s Egyptian Super Cup semi-final in the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court said.

Zamalek sporting director Abdel Wahed El Sayed got the same punishment after the three men were involved in a scuffle with a stadium organiser at the Al Nahyan ground in Abu Dhabi. Zamalek beat Pyramids 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Oct. 20.

The court said in a statement on social media platform X on Tuesday that the three men were “… committing acts that would disturb public order and incite riots in front of the fans …”

Zamalek declined to comment.

-Reuters

As it was earlier in the year at the CAF Super Cup contested by Egyptian giants, Ahly and Zamalek, the Egyptian Super Cup contested by the same teams had to be decided by penalty shoot-out.

But unlike in the CAF Super Cup where goals were scored in regulation time and Zamalek emerged winners after a penalty shootout, the reverse is the case this time.

Ahly secured their 15th Egyptian Super Cup title on Thursday, defeating arch-rivals Zamalek 7-6 on penalties following a goalless draw in regular time in Abu Dhabi.

The Red Devils avenged their loss to Zamalek in the African Super Cup just four weeks prior, when they were beaten on penalties by their Cairo neighbours.

However, the match was played under the cloud of controversy, as three Zamalek team members were detained in Abu Dhabi in the days leading up to the game.

The possibility of the Egyptian Super Cup holding in Abu Dhabi, UAE is shrouded in big doubts.

Egyptian newspaper, Ahram reports that Zamalek are considering withdrawing from the match after an altercation with security officials led to the detention of some team members.

Mostafa Shalaby and Nabil Emad were involved in a heated dispute with officers at the stadium following Zamalek’s penalty shootout victory over Pyramids FC on Sunday.

It is unclear how the incident began, but video footage shows an altercation between the players and security personnel.

Shalaby and Emad, along with football director Abdel-Wahed El Sayed, were summoned to a police station in Abu Dhabi early on Monday and have not yet been released.

“An urgent meeting is now taking place between Hussein Labib, the club’s president, Hossam El Mandouh, the treasurer, and the head of the mission, to discuss not completing the Egyptian Super Cup and returning to Cairo as soon as possible due to the inappropriate atmosphere and unbearable pressure the delegation is exposed to,” club spokesman Ahmed Salem said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The head of the board and the head of the delegation have been at the police station since early morning due to the officials’ decision to detain the players,” he added.

According to Egyptian media reports, Sports Minister Ashraf Sobhy and the Egyptian ambassador in Abu Dhabi are holding talks to resolve the situation and prevent further escalation.

Zamalek are scheduled to play Ahly, who beat Ceramica Cleopatra 2-1, on Thursday in the Final.