AFCON Trophy Goes Missing in Egypt
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) trophy has been reportedly stolen, the trophy which is mostly won by the Pharaohs of Egypt and is kept in their custody has been declared missing. It was kept in Egypt, the north African country’s Football Association (EFA) headquarters in Cairo. Former EFA vice-president Ahmed Shobier claimed that the trophy has mysteriously disappeared. The Pharoahs won the AFCON title in three consecutive editions in 2006, 2008 and 2010, hence awarded the trophy for keeps.
However, the silverware that was achieved under the guidance of legendary coach Hassan Shehata has seemingly been stolen a decade on. According to reports from On Time Sports TV show it said: “The EFA started looking for some trophies as they aim to put them in a notable museum inside the EFA.” “However, the EFA was surprised to find that the AFCON trophy was lost and decided to open an investigation.”
“They were informed by an employee inside the association that it was held by former Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan who refuted this claim. Nobody knows where the trophy is at the time being.” Later, former Egypt midfielder Abdelghani clarified in a press conference that the trophy had been lost in a fire seven years ago.
“After the burning of the Football Association headquarters, some cups were lost, and the matter was investigated including the Africa Cup of Nations that we retained. The player also said said: “Some said that the cup had been with Shawky Gharib, the former general coach of the Egypt national team, and some say it had been with Hassan, the former captain of the Pharaohs.”
When Hassan noticed the disappearance of the AFCON trophy he took to social media to express his dismay at the loss. “I wish I had kept the cup in my house instead of it being lost,” he posted on his Twitter handle. “And I am surprised that I’m being questioned about the cup after nine years, despite the presence of two FA boards, and the five-year committee for a year and two months, but they’re only now looking for the cup.”
“One of the members of the five-year committee contacted me and told me that they would put a picture of me with the African Nations Cup on the wall inside the federation and he asked me about the cup.” “I told him that I had delivered it back in 2011, and he said to me: ‘I wish you had not handed it over, as the cup is not at the association now.” Presently investigations are on-going as to uncover the mystry behind the disapperance of the trophy.
