08/03/2021 Egypt (International Christian Concern) – As countries across the globe gather in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, Egypt’s athletes prepare themselves. Notably missing from the delegation however is the Coptic community representation. Only one Coptic athlete is reportedly part of the team.
Copts comprise 10-15% of the Egyptian population but are less than 1% of the 141 Egyptian athletes to the Olympic games. The trend was similar in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2012 London Olympics and ultimately mirrors the realities at home for the Christian minority. Christians in Egypt are often limited in their access to upward mobility opportunities, whether that is in sports, business, education, or elsewhere.
The report titled “Discrimination Against Copts in Egyptian Sports Clubs” by Coptic Solidarity also suggests that the problem goes beyond Olympic representation and routinely affects the abilities and representation of Copts in soccer.
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