Egyptian player Ahmed Baghdouda appeared for the first time after the incident of leaving the camp of the Egyptian wrestling team in Tunisia, weeks ago, stressing that he is not a fugitive.

In a video, Ghadouda thanked the official invitations, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's call for him to return and receive the required care, calling for this support to all talented athletes in Egypt, while not disclosing his next step.

He thanked the Egyptian people for their support during the last period, apologizing to his father for traveling without telling him, appreciating his role and the financial difficulties he faced for him.

Baghdadouda became the talk of the hour in Egypt after "escaping" from the residence of the Egyptian wrestling team after the wrestler won the silver medal for the weight of 63 kilograms in Roman wrestling in the middle of last month.

Egyptian wrestling champion Ahmed Baghdadouda denies escaping and sends a message to Sisi pic.twitter.com/sZqylCAsQi

— Rasd Network (@RassdNewsN) June 4, 2023

The head of the Egyptian Wrestling Federation, Major General Essam al-Nawar, said that Baghdadouda went out one day before the return of the Egyptian mission from Tunisia to buy some gifts, but he did not return, noting that the federation did not fall short with the Egyptian champion.

But Fouad Baghdada, the wrestler's father, also responded in a television intervention that his son feels aggrieved for not receiving his financial dues from the Egyptian Federation over the course of a whole year, while refusing to describe his departure as an escape, explaining that his "bad treatment" from the Federation may be what prompted him to do so untidy behavior for him.

Baghdouda's father noted that his son's 16,520 pounds (about $1200) silver medal reward was mostly deducted as taxes, leaving his son receiving only 40,<> pounds (less than $<>).

A hero #مصر begging for the shoes he plays with!! #more#Sports #اتحاد_المصارعة #أحمد_بغدودة #بغدودة pic.twitter.com/C3At742BXf

— Mazid (@MazidNews) May 22, 2023

He said that his son used to borrow sneakers from his teammates to participate in tournaments, and that he used to spend on him during his years as a tuk-tuk driver to become a champion.

Baghdada's father's shocking remarks about the large deduction from his son's bonus prompted the Egyptian Tax Authority to explain that the deducted amount was a "deferred fee" for his transfer from the Bella Youth Center to the National Project for the Gifted, which was postponed to deduct from the first financial dues that the young wrestler receives.

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A post shared by Ahmed Baghdada | Ahmed Bagdouda (@ahmedbaghdoda)

Walid Al-Adawi sports journalist says the magazine "Rosalyoussef" Egyptian – Al Jazeera Net – that "the incident Baghdouda is not the first time and unfortunately will not be the last, but may be repeated thousands of times, but did not enjoy the same media momentum for the issue of Bagdouda."

Al-Adawi adds that he heard an official of the Egyptian Wrestling Federation say in one of the famous television programs that there are 6 wrestlers who left in the same way during the year, because there is someone in France who tracks Egypt's promising champions and convinces them to join him.

Behind the scenes of the departure of Egyptian wrestler Ahmed Baghdadouda to France pic.twitter.com/94Ui259pYW

— Rasd Network (@RassdNewsN) May 23, 2023

The Egyptian journalist recalls that former champions, including Olympic wrestler Mohamed Abdel Fattah "Bougie", who currently trains wrestling in the United States, confessed to him that they regretted not completing their travel project to America and playing in its name when they were at the height of their stardom and championships.

Al-Adawi points out that what is striking and new in this incident is "the state of public support for what he did with Ghadouda, with the disappearance of voices that were repeated by his ilk in the past that they sold their country," and explains this by the difficult economic situation and society's certainty of ignoring these forgotten heroes in individual games.

The fugitive wrestler Ahmed Bagdouda. Unjust or oppressed? pic.twitter.com/iUUECG2dU0

— Hashtag (@ajmhashtag) May 22, 2023