Egyptian Cyclist Shahd Saeed Withdraws From Paris 2024 Olympics And Announces Her Retirement

Manar Eissa

Cyclist Shahd Saeed has apologized and announced her withdrawal from representing Egypt in the 2024 Paris Olympics, following a reopened investigation into her altercation with fellow cyclist Janna Eliwa.

Retirement on Air

In an emotional interview on Ahmed Moussa’s show “Ala Massoulity” last Saturday, Saeed tearfully declared her decision amidst social media backlash over her participation. “I had hoped to represent Egypt in the Olympics and to cap off the immense effort I’ve put in over the past three years by participating in this global event, but I will not compete again,” she stated.

This decision comes after Saeed was referred to the Public Prosecution on charges of deliberately causing harm to Eliwa during the Republic Championship in April. Video footage circulated online shows Saeed veering into Eliwa, causing her to fall in the final moments of the race. Reports from Egyptian news sources detailed Eliwa’s injuries, including a broken shoulder, multiple bruises, and a concussion.

The Egyptian Olympic Committee, led by Engineer Yasser Idris, issued an official statement regarding Shahad Saeed’s eligibility for the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, in light of her conflict with Janna Eliwa during the Republic Cycling Championships held in Suez.

The statement clarified that Shahad Saeed violated regulations, customs, values, and sports ethics during the individual race in the Republic Championship. As a result, the committee decided to:

  1. Exclude Saeed from the Republic Race and abolish her results.
  2. Suspend Saeed from local competitions for one year, the maximum suspension period.
  3. Impose a fine of 100 Swiss francs, the maximum penalty under the disciplinary regulations of the International Cycling Union.

Shahad Saeed’s name once again sparked controversy on social media following the circulation of her interview with Ahmed Moussa, where she addressed her involvement in the incident with Janna Eliwa during the Republic Cycling Championship.

 

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