Egyptian club Zamalek has lodged a formal complaint with the Supreme Council for Media Regulation against TV host Yasmine Ezz, presenter of a show on MBC Egypt, over remarks the club deemed “offensive and inappropriate” toward its players and fans.
Egyptian media reports indicate that Zamalek’s board, led by Hussein Labib, decided to escalate the matter after the club had previously filed a complaint against the same host two weeks ago, only to withdraw it following a formal apology. However, fresh comments made on her program “Kalam El Nas” have reignited the controversy.
During the episode that sparked the backlash, Ezz discussed Zamalek’s performance ahead of the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final against Algeria’s USM Algiers, using sarcastic language directed at the team and several players, including Brazilian forward Juan Bizera.
She reportedly claimed that “Zamalek moves like a straw train and relies heavily on luck,” adding that the team’s players “seem to have no serious injuries, as if they drank lion’s milk.” She also mocked Bizera’s name with phrases the club described as “unacceptable mockery.”
According to reports, the complaint submitted by Zamalek demands that the Supreme Council for Media Regulation launch an official investigation and take necessary legal and regulatory measures. The club stressed the importance of respecting clubs and their fans in television programs, even if the channels are not Egyptian but broadcast from within Egypt.
In its complaint, Zamalek emphasized that such remarks “fuel fanaticism and stir tension among fans,” calling for stricter oversight of sports media content.
The move comes as Zamalek prepares for the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final against USM Algiers, scheduled for next Saturday. The Egyptian side lost the first leg 1-0 and will need to overturn the deficit to win the continental title for the second time in its history, amid a charged atmosphere both on and off the pitch.