More chaos at Egyptian champions Zamalek as court removes president

Five-time African champions Zamalek suffered another blow in a chaotic season as a court in Egypt ordered the removal of club president Mortada Mansour, days after the team appointed Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

A local administrative court in Cairo ordered on Sunday to exclude Mansour from his post, as he has just served a one-month prison sentence over a defamation case against Al-Ahly president Mahmoud El Khatib. Mansour, 70, can appeal the ruling.

Mansour told his YouTube channel, which has more than half a million followers: “I will not talk about the ruling now because judgment is the title of truth.”

“No hair in my head shook for a simple reason: I came to serve the public, and the[(club’s] general assembly brought me here, and no-one can remove me except the general assembly.”

Mansour previously threatened to ban a group of supporters after they recently arranged themselves in the shape of a giant “angry face” emoji in an eye-catching protest during a Caf Champions League match against Sudan's Al-Merreikh.

A spokesperson for Egyptian ministry of youth and sports told the Sada Al-Balad channel it is expected the ministry will receive the executive form of the ruling and implement it on Tuesday as Monday is a public holiday.

He said it is not clear if Mansour can enter the club's presidency elections in the future.

Zamalek parted ways with Portuguese coach Jesualdo Ferreira last month for the second time this season after being knocked out of group stage in the Champions League. The club then fired all of their interim coaching staff after another local defeat left the defending champions way behind in the Premier League title race.

Zamalek are fourth in the Egyptian Premier League on 39 points from 23 matches, 11 points behind leaders Al Ahly (50), who have played 20 games.

Last season Zamalek won the league by seven points from second-placed Pyramids FC.