Mohamed Aboutrika, a former Egyptian international footballer who in 2008 was named the BBC African Footballer of the Year, has been added to the country’s terror list for his alleged links with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
Mr Aboutrika is accused of financially supporting the Brotherhood, which Egypt regards as a terrorist organisation.
In 2012, he endorsed the successful presidential bid by Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood member.
Any person named on the country’s terror list is subject to a travel ban and faces having their passport and assets frozen.
Mr Aboutrika’s lawyer, Mohamed Osman, said the move was “contrary to the law”, adding that his client had “not been convicted or formally notified of any of the charges against him”.
“We will appeal this decision,” Osman said. Aboutrika, he added, has strenuously denied the allegations.
A former player for Al-Ahly. Aboutrika scored 38 goals in 100 international appearances and is widely regarded as one of his country’s best ever players. Universally admired as a player but also as a person, Aboutrika has been prominent in support of those who have suffered at the hands of the Egyptian authorities.
In 2015, he had a string of assets, including shares in a number of companies, seized by the Egyptian authorities as a result of his support for the deposed Morsi.
The army’s crackdown on Brotherhood members, left hundreds of people dead and thousands in jail, with Morsi ousted from power after just a year in charge.
