Egypt: Jail sentence against Zamalek Club Chief Mortada Mansour upheld

An Egyptian court upheld a one-month jail sentence and a one-year suspended sentence against Al-Zamalek football club’s controversial president Mortada Mansour, after he was found guilty of defamation against his Al-Ahly counterpart Mahmoud El-Khateeb.

The ruling came Saturday after the court had rejected two appeals filed by Mansour against the two sentences, state-run news outlet Al-Ahram online reports.

The verdict is final and cannot be appealed. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) reportedly boycotted Mansour last month over alleged “transgressions” committed by him.

Mansour, hot tempered and very critical of public figures, is also embroiled in another controversy with Mark Clattenburg, the British head of referees at the EFA.

Clattenberg, 47, had fled Egypt, sending his resignation letter to the association from home after receiving threats from Zamalek fans.

Mansour had reportedly accused Clattenberg of being in a gay relationship after leaving his wife, charges Mansour denied a few days later in an interview with a local news outlet.