Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation has summoned the legal representative of Al-Hayat channel for a hearing following alleged violations of media regulations on journalist Karim Hassan Shehata’s programme.
The decision concerns an episode of “Kora Kol Youm” broadcast on 29 August. The council said its monitoring bodies had identified breaches of the regulations governing sports media coverage.
The move follows action by Al Ahly, who decided to submit an official complaint against Shehata over comments made during the programme about events surrounding the club’s Premier League match against Zed.
The Supreme Council for Media Regulation said the decision to summon the channel’s representative was based on reports prepared by its General Administration for Monitoring and the Committee for Regulating the Performance of Sports Media.
The sports media committee is headed by Counselor Abdel Salam Al-Najjar, a member of the council and Vice President of the State Council.
The council’s complaints committee, headed by media figure Essam El-Amir, deputy of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, subsequently decided that Al-Hayat’s legal representative should attend a hearing.
The hearing will examine the content broadcast during the episode and determine what further measures, if any, should be taken.
According to the council, the programme contained material that breached the media standards and controls it has established.
The decision to summon the channel’s representative is therefore part of the formal process for examining the alleged violations before any further action is considered.
The council said the relevant authorities would consider the incident under the rules governing media work.
The latest development comes after Al Ahly themselves decided to take action against Shehata following his comments on the programme.
A senior Al Ahly official told WinWin in an exclusive statement that the club’s management had decided to lodge a formal complaint with the Supreme Council for Media Regulation.
The decision was prompted by what the club considered unacceptable statements concerning the circumstances surrounding its match against Zed in the Egyptian Premier League.
The comments reportedly caused anger within the Al Ahly administration, with club officials particularly concerned about suggestions involving the club receiving favourable treatment or privileges during matches.
The senior official said Al Ahly strongly rejected any attempt to associate the club with such allegations.
The official explained that the club’s administration wanted to establish the full context of the comments before submitting its complaint.
Rather than immediately filing the document, Al Ahly reviewed the broadcast and examined the relevant section of the programme in detail.
The club’s management watched the video of the episode and studied the statements made by Shehata before preparing its formal response.
The aim, according to the official, was to ensure that the complaint accurately addressed the content of the programme and was prepared in a legally complete form.
The official said the club was in the process of drafting an official memorandum which would then be submitted to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation.
Al Ahly’s decision reflects the seriousness with which the club views comments linking its name to alleged advantages during matches.
The club has maintained that it does not accept being associated with claims of receiving favours or special treatment, particularly in relation to competitive matches.
The media regulator’s decision means the issue will now be considered through an official process.
The council’s statement stressed that its action forms part of its ongoing monitoring of sports programmes and their compliance with professional standards.
Such monitoring covers the material presented through sports programmes and whether it meets the professional controls established for media coverage.
For Al-Hayat channel, the immediate consequence is the requirement for its legal representative to appear before the council’s complaints committee and respond to the concerns raised over the 29 August episode.
The hearing will provide an opportunity for the relevant authorities to examine the programme’s content before deciding what measures are appropriate under the regulations.
The development also places renewed focus on the standards expected of sports broadcasters in Egypt, particularly when discussing controversial incidents involving major clubs.
For Al Ahly, the club has already taken the step it considered necessary by preparing a formal complaint after reviewing the programme and the statements at the centre of the dispute.
The matter will now move forward under the supervision of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, which will determine the appropriate course of action after examining the case.
