Khaberni - The Egyptian Public Prosecution has ordered the urgent criminal trial of those accused of causing the death of swimmer Youssef Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Malek, on December 25, 2025.
Following its previous statement about the incident, the Public Prosecution ordered the trial of the president, members of the swimming federation's board, its executive director, the head of the competitions committee, the championship director, the general referee, and three members of the rescue team, for inadvertently causing the death of the victim, child Youssef Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Malek, due to their negligence and shortcomings in performing their duties, severely violating the duties imposed on them, and endangering the lives of children participating in the Republic Swimming Championship.
The Public Prosecution received a report from the Forensic Medicine Authority and the Pathology Laboratory on samples taken from the victim's body, which confirmed the absence of any diseases or stimulating or narcotic substances, but the death was due to asphyxia by drowning, after the victim lost consciousness after the race ended and he fell to the bottom of the swimming pool, where he remained alive long enough for water to fill his lungs and respiratory tract, causing cardiac arrest and a complete respiratory failure, leading to death.
The Public Prosecution, through interrogation of the president and members of the swimming federation board and its executive director and head of the competitions committee, found that most of them lacked sufficient experience and knowledge of the regulatory and technical rules for managing the sport. They failed to select technically qualified and physically fit individuals to handle the organizational burdens of its competitions, as confirmed by testimonies from many parents of the swimmers participating in the championship, and those managing the pools used for the competition, regarding the disorganized management and disproportionate number of swimmers participating in relation to its duration and the designated pools, whether during players' warm-ups or the actual competitions.
When the Public Prosecution collected verbal, technical, and digital evidence as previously described, along with simulations that envisioned how the incident occurred, it confirmed the validity of accusing all defendants as being fully responsible due to their negligence and failure to perform their work duties, endangering the lives of all children participating in the championship.
The Public Prosecution also ordered a copy of the investigation to be sent to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to examine their role in taking the necessary administrative and regulatory actions against the swimming federation and El-Zohor Sports Club, in light of the laws of sports number 71 of 2017, its amendments and its implementing regulations, due to the severe shortcomings and disorder revealed by this unfortunate incident in managing the swimming sport, poor organization, and gross negligence in executing ministerial decisions, including the decision issued by the Ministry of Youth number 1642 of 2024 regarding the medical procedures that must be followed before participating in sports championships to ensure the safety and medical competence of the athletes, involving all those responsible for organizing the federation, and also those from El-Zohor Sports Club participating with its athletes in the championship, with communication to the Public Prosecution about how these actions proceed.
Furthermore, the Public Prosecution profoundly mourns the loss of the heroic child "Youssef," who exemplified diligence and perseverance, representing a generation of Egyptian youths striving to elevate their country's flag in sports arenas.
The Public Prosecution also calls on the sports community, officials, and those managing sports activities and competitions, to strictly adhere to legal and regulatory decisions, fully undertake their responsibilities, and take all measures to ensure the safety of players and provide a secure sports environment that protects their lives and secures their future.
