UPDATE 1-Emirates president pardons Zamalek trio after court hands one-month prison sentences

(Recasts following pardon announced by UAE President)

Oct 29 (Reuters) –

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has pardoned Zamalek players Mostafa Shalaby and Nabil Emad and the Egyptian club’s sporting director Abdel Wahed El Sayed after they were each handed one-month prison sentences for assault during a match in the UAE, the Emirates News agency (WAM) said on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court handed the prison terms as well as 200,000 dirhams ($55,000) fines after the three men were involved in a scuffle with a stadium organiser during this month’s Egyptian Super Cup semi-final at the Al Nahyan ground in Abu Dhabi.

Zamalek beat Pyramids 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Oct. 20.

“The President of the State pardons those accused in the events of a football match that brought together the Egyptian clubs Zamalek and Pyramids in Abu Dhabi, based on the fraternal relations between the Emirates and Egypt,” WAM said in a report posted on X.

The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports said earlier in its Facebook page: “The Egyptian state ends the Zamalek trio crisis within hours.”

“It is expected that the complete end of the crisis and the return of the players will be announced in the coming hours, in the context of full respect for the legal frameworks and based on the historical relations between the two sister countries, Egypt and the Emirates.”

(Reporting by Ahmed Abd Ellatif)

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