Ahmed El-Sheikh (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Ahly's summer signing Ahmed El-Sheikh will be available to play again after Zamalek withdrew their complaint and his four-month ban was lifted by the Egyptian Football Association on Thursday.
Ex-Maqassa midfielder Ahmed El-Sheikh was handed a four-month suspension and a LE133,000 fine after being found guilty of signing for two clubs.
Ahly managed to beat their arch rivals Zamalek for signing El-Sheikh from Maqassa but the White Nights president Mortada Mansour insisted that the 26-year-old had initially signed for his club, filing a complaint with the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).
After the EFA investigated the player they banned and fined the new Ahly recruit. Ahly then announced that they would boycott all domestic competitions in protest of the Egyptian FA's decision to suspend the midfielder.
Ahly said in a statement that they will 'boycott all competitions organized by the FA on both youth and first-team levels,’ while stressing that the club will do whatever it takes to preserve their rights.
Egypt's sports minister Khaled Abdel-Aziz held a meeting with the two sides' bosses to solve the problem between them as Zamalek president announced that he will pull out his complaint against El-Sheikh to end the saga.
Egypt's EFA spokesman Mahmoud El-Shamy also confirmed Thursday that they will lift the suspension over Ahmed El-Sheikh after Zamalek pulled out their complaint.
"Ahly didn't appeal against the suspension until now and that helped the EFA to lift the suspension," El-Shamy told reporters.
"Ahly's decision to boycott all competitions organized by the EFA on both youth and first-team levels was tough for us, as we were headed into uncharted territories,” he added.
"I spoke with Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour and he confirmed that the team's representative will be in the EFA headquarters to pull out the complaint."
"We will hold a brief meeting to lift the ban over El-Sheikh,” said El-Shamy.
"When the Zamalek representative visits the EFA, El-Sheikh will be available for the Ahly squad in the coming games," El-Shamy concluded.
Ahly are currently taking part in the Egypt Cup, reaching the competition's semis following a 5-0 thrashing of Ittihad El-Shorta on Sunday.
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