Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said he considered the matter resolved after he and team director Ibrahim Hassan had a physical confrontation with a police officer at the team's hotel in Dallas.
Incident Details
Video began circulating Thursday, a day before Egypt beat Australia in the round of 32 at the World Cup, showing both men arguing with a Dallas police officer, apparently over a player preparing to take a picture with a young fan in the hotel lobby. The officer approached Hossam Hassan first, but his interaction with Ibrahim Hassan became a shoving match. Ibrahim Hassan appeared to be upset at the officer intervening.
Dallas police issued a statement saying officers were responding to a request from hotel security about an individual without event credentials attempting to gain access. The statement said the issue was resolved at the scene, and that police met with Egyptian representatives to address their concerns.
Resolution and Apology
Hossam Hassan said through a translator the team had accepted an apology from police. “We are really happy to be here at this tournament and we are satisfied with the security personnel that are accompanying us,” Hossam Hassan said. “I would like to point to the high-level organization we have with us and the level of security we have with us.”
Palestine Flag Celebration
Hassan is the first person to play and coach for Egypt at the World Cup, and he celebrated his country's first knockout victory by waving a Palestinian flag on the pitch. “My heart and soul are with them,” he said in an emotional post-game interview. “It was the most significant scene,” Yahia Qalash, the former head of Egypt's Journalists' Union, said of Hassan's move. “It was a telling scene in an exceptional moment.” On Friday, Hassan said he was dedicating the game to the “good and noble” Egyptian and Palestinian people.
Asked about the Palestinian flag, Fifa said it is permitted to display it at the World Cup. There was no indication of any action being taken against Hassan. “Flags representing all 211 Fifa member associations are permitted at Fifa tournaments,” a spokesperson said.
