AP, Cairo :
Mohamed Salah has reignited a months-old dispute with soccer authorities in his native Egypt, accusing them of ignoring his complaints about their unauthorized use of his image.
The dispute over image rights – such as the prominent featuring of his image on the national team’s plane – and lingering tensions over his treatment during the World Cup have cast doubt on whether Salah, the top scorer in England’s Premier League last season, will continue playing on the national team.
“It’s normal that a football federation seeks to solve the problems of its players so they can feel comfortable. But in fact, what I see is exactly the opposite,” the Liverpool winger tweeted Sunday.
“It is not normal that my messages and my lawyer’s messages are ignored. I do not know why all this (is happening)? Do you not have time to respond to us?!” he added.
Ramy Abbas, Salah’s agent, said he and his client have asked for guarantees regarding the 26-year-old’s “well-being” while on the national team and assurances that his image rights won’t be violated again. “Enough is enough,” Abbas tweeted.
Egypt’s football association said in a statement on Monday it would discuss Salah’s requests. In a press conference later in the day, Ahmed Megahed, a board member of the association, said they contacted Salah on Aug. 16 after he previously sent a message to the association’s president Hani Abu Reda on Aug. 11, saying any requests should be sent in an official letter to the association.
Megahed said Salah’s agent sent a letter to the association during Eid al-Adha vacation “but its language was inappropriate and difficult to accept. It included a request by Salah’s agent for the association to resign if it doesn’t accept the player’s demands.”
