Monday 20/October/2025 – 12:10 AM
Ashraf Helmy, President of the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation, revealed the behind-the-scenes and new details of his son Mahmoud Ashraf’s crisis with Omar Asr, during the duo’s presence with the Egyptian national team in the African Nations Championship in Tunisia.
Statements of Ashraf Helmy, President of the Backgammon Federation
Ashraf Helmy said in statements with journalist Ibrahim Fayek: We will investigate and it will be sent to the Olympic Committee and the Ministry in order to decide on it. A heavy penalty was imposed on Mahmoud Najli earlier due to an incident, and I rejected a petition from the Zamalek apparatus to lift the penalty.
The head of the Egyptian Table Tennis Federation added: Omar Asr’s brother was the one who was subjected to a heavy penalty with a fine of 200,000 pounds for signing for two clubs, and I asked Mahmoud not to take the podium so that the crisis would not be repeated.
Ashraf Helmy continued: We decided to refer the duo for investigation through the legal advisor. Mahmoud must apologize to Omar Asr because he is a great player.
The head of the Table Tennis Federation concluded: Omar Asr’s reaction to the matter was inappropriate and exaggerated, and the Ministry of Sports asked us to clarify the matter and we will prepare a report on the incident.
A verbal altercation broke out between Omar Asr and Mahmoud Ashraf Helmy, during the national team’s match against Nigeria in the African Championship currently being held in Tunisia.
A circulating video clip showed that Omar Asr stopped playing the match, demanding that his colleague Mahmoud Ashraf Helmy leave the match hall, as he confirmed that he would not complete the match unless he left.
