Essam El-Hadary Tests Out the Webster Ruling
Over at The Offside recently, Chris filled us in on the Andy Webster ruling and how it was going to turn football upside down. The historic ruling means players can buy out the remaining years of their own contract, provided they’ve already completed three years (if they’re under 28) or two years (if they’re over 28) of said contract. Great news for players (and agents) but bad news for clubs, but so far no one has tested the ruling beyond Webster himself. Until now.
Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations winning keeper Essam El-Hadary wants a move from Al-Alhy to Swiss side FC Sion. Al-Ahly don’t want to let him go (which is understandable, he’s probably the best keeper in Africa) but El-Hadary is in Switzerland right now training with his (maybe) new club, who have offered Al-Ahly US$400,000 for the 35 year old keeper. That doesn’t seem a lot for a legend, but it’s the equivalent of the remaining two years of El-Hadary’s Al-Ahly contract.
Egyptian fans are also super-angry, especially as El-Hadary just furthered his legend by winning the Africa Cup of Nations. Al-Ahly see it as El-Hadary being under contract until 2010, and are resisting any attempts for him to leave before that. The club has apparently written to FIFA and to the Swiss Football Federation to protest.
“We sent a very clear letter to FIFA and the Swiss federation, refusing to send the international transfer certificate for the player,” said Al-Ahly board member Khaled Mortagy. “We urged the Swiss federation to send the player back as soon as possible. Al Ahly will reserve all its rights to take all appropriate legal action against the player, the club and any other party that deprives Al Ahly from its rights.”
The interesting thing here is that the Webster ruling doesn’t come from FIFA, but from the all-powerful Court of Arbitration for Sport. FIFA actually opposed the ruling, arguing in a statement that the Webster ruling “will have far-reaching and damaging effects on the game as a whole.” So it’s perfectly possible that FIFA will side with Al-Ahly and we’ll have one big old argument on our hands, the result of which will shape the future of football.
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By ahmed | February 26th, 2008 at 11:20 pm 
The Committee of Football of Ahly Club issued a meeting to discuss all the events associated with the departure of Ahly’s player, Essam El Hadary, to Switzerland without permission form Ahly’s administration. Furthermore, Essam El Hadary signed a contract with F.C. Sion while he is still on contract with Al-Ahly, which was effective in Early January 2007 until the end of season 2009/2010. The Football committee is revealing the following clarifications and decisions:
1) Ahly’s director of Marketing received a phone call from the player, confirmation that representatives from an European club will come to Cairo to negotiate about his transfer.
2) Representatives from Swiss Club F.C. Sion arrived to the headquarters of Al-Ahly club and they were received by the director of Marketing. The Swiss club requested to buy the player’s contract for only $400 thousand US dollars, in addition to 50% if the player is sold to another club.
3) The player spoke directly to Al-Ahly club president and Vice-President about the offer from the Swiss club. The president and Vice present, both confirmed the impossibility to approve the transfer of any player during the season, especially in Essam’s case, as the club will be exposed to massive technical risk, since the team will continue the domestic league as well as start the African Champions League with only 2 goal-keepers, as the domestic and African transfer period closed in January 2008. Furthermore, the Swiss offer is neither appropriate nor commensurate to Ahly’s name and player’s history.
4) Based on the mentioned conditions, the player was asked to postpone his transfer till the end of the season which is after 3 months. The meeting amongst Ahly Marketing director and Sion’s representatives was called off on that basis.
5) On the next day of the meeting that took place between Ahly Marketing director and Sion representatives, Al-Ahly received a letter from Swiss Club Sion, mentioning that their side has sealed an agreement with the player about his transfer, and inviting Ahly president to Geneva to conclude the transfer. The letter claimed that the Swiss club obtained an approval from Al-Ahly’s side for the transfer, and that never happened.
6) After only 2 hours of the receipt of the letter mentioned in clause 5, the Egyptian Football Association received a letter from the Swiss Federation on the 15th of February 2008, requesting the player’s international card, with information about the latest official match played with Al-Ahly.
7) Al-Ahly closed any sort of negotiations about that issue, especially that Sion’s offer is completely rejected and that was made clear to the president of F.C. Sion in his brief visit to Cairo, in addition to the fact that the player is in preparatory training for the first encounter of the League’s second leg, as Essam played that match on the 20th of February 2008.
On the morning of Thursday 21st of February 2008, Ahly club was surprised by the player’s departure to Switzerland, without informing anybody from the club about his departure nor about the reasons that prompted him to do so
9) Administration of Ahly club sent a letter to the Egyptian Football Association requesting the suspension of the player for an indefinite period, and NOT to send the international card, as the player is on an ongoing contract with Al-Ahly club.
10) The Egyptian Football Association supported Al-Ahly after fully examining the situation, and replied back to the Swiss Football Association, confirming the invalidity of the transition of the player to F.C.Sion, and therefore not sending the international card.
11) Al-Ahly sent a letter to the Swiss club, expressing its astonishment from its claim that Al-Ahly approved the transfer, as that never happened … Essam El Hadary’s contract is still ongoing till the end of the season of 2009/2010 …The player is recorded on the annals of the Egyptian and African Associations …The letter confirmed that Al-Ahly club will take all the legal procedures to reserve the rights of the club against any abuse… Ahly club enclosed a copy of the letter sent by the Egyptian Association to the Swiss Association refusing to send the International Card.
12) The player appeared in a press conference wearing the official jersey of the Swiss Club F.C.Sion and announced the transfer in the media. Player’s appearance and statement confirms beyond any doubt that he has signed for the Swiss Club, while he is on an ongoing-contract with Ahly club.
Accordingly, Ahly club decided the following:
A) Take all measures and procedures that preserve its rights with all involved parties in this issue.
B) File a complaint with all related documents to the case at the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) via the Egyptian Football Association against the player and the Swiss Club.
At the end, Al-Ahly Club expresses its disappointment for all the irresponsible actions taken by the player and steps taken by the Swiss club and each party that was involved in the illegal methods. At the time, where Ahly administration is keen about the club’s best interest, fans’ ambitions and feelings and worries about the future of the players. For example the club administration, agreed about the transfer and loan of three major and main players on the team and during the season: Mohamed Shawky to the English club Middlesbrough, Wael Gomma to Sailia of Qatar, and Hassan Mustapha to Wehda of Saudia Arabia, with the acknowledgement that all these transfers were done within the conditions that suited the club and in the appropriate time.
Club Administration
By tamim | February 27th, 2008 at 6:53 am i can tell that a lawyer requested hat the state shoul deprive el hadary from the egyptian nationality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you can read about the story at egypt blog
By Egyptian Ashraf - USA | February 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pm Ridiculous…that lawyer has nothing better to do
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By aymanseada | March 19th, 2008 at 6:53 am He had taken an illeterate action from one side! He didn’t behave good with his mother club
I think he must have the permission first from his club then try to get his international playing card.
But he didn’t think at all! and I know that who will leave his first like that then heshall repeat it again.
We don’t want him belonging to Al Ahly club we look someone who behave as a human.
Ayman Seada
Al Ahly Club Fan
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