Mido was critical of Salah and the Egyptian FA
Former Egyptian international Mido has slammed Mo Salah for attending his brother’s wedding, days before the Liverpool forward returned a positive test for Covid-19.
Salah was pictured dancing at the ceremony in Egypt shortly before he was due to play for his country in their African Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Togo. The 28-year-old tested positive for Covid on the eve of the first of those games, immediately moving into quarantine at a hotel.
If you’re wondering where Mo Salah got coronavirus from – a video from his brothers wedding a couple of days ago might help? #LFC #COVID pic.twitter.com/BurRVgLEXH
— Ahmad Yousef (@EgyptianPlayers) November 13, 2020
Speaking on Al-Nahar TV, Mido expressed his bemusement at how, despite social distancing measures being in place across the globe, Salah was in a position where he was able to mix freely with hundreds of others at the wedding.
“I know I may be under attack after my next comments, but it has to be that way,” the former Tottenham and Ajax striker began.
“Mohamed Salah made a big mistake by attending his brother’s wedding a few days before the Egyptian national team match, he showed great negligence with the steps taken to prevent the coronavirus and the result was that he was infected.
“The neglect of Mohamed Salah caused the Egyptian team to lose an important player in a very important match and time, and he also risked the health of his team-mates.
“He should not have been present at his brother’s wedding, especially at that time. The wedding included more than 800 people, and half of them accepted to embrace and kiss Salah.”
Mido’s criticism was not exclusively directed at Salah, however. He also made a point of branding those responsible for the national team “cowards” for not criticising the forward’s decision to attend the wedding.
“The other point here is the silence of all those responsible for the player’s negligence, which confirms the fact that the player is still bigger than the national team and this will lead to a great failure.
“When I missed the 2006 African Nations Cup, I was punished by missing the final and being excluded from the national team for six months. The final we lost, I was young and I think I am older than the team, but I confirm now that no one is bigger than the team, and if someone thinks this, this will be a great failure.
“Officials in Egypt did not direct any word of blame or reproach to Mohamed Salah and the harm caused by his negligence to the Egyptian team, and I name each of the Minister of Sports Ashraf Sobhi, Chairman of the EFA Amr Al-Ganayni, the coach of the national team Hossam Al-Badri, and the national team director Mohamed Barakat, all are cowards and fear Mohamed Salah fans who love the Liverpool star, but here I am speaking without calculations or fear of anyone, and what is being said should be said to me.
“No one can say that Salah did not make a mistake by going to his brother’s wedding at that difficult time and in light of the corona crisis, all the English newspapers speak against us negatively.
“Salah should have been blamed for what he did, but everyone feels fear.”
Salah returned a second positive Covid-19 result on Wednesday, meaning he is now highly likely to miss Liverpool’s games against Leicester City and Atalanta due to self-isolation rules.
