CAIRO: Egypt coach Hassan Shehata filed an official request to the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) in an attempt to lift the ban imposed on Mahmoud “Shikabala Abdel Razek. The Zamalek wizard has been handed a one-year suspension for his inappropriate behavior during the Pan African Games in Algeria last summer.

However, Shehata has included the 21-year-old international in his plans for next year s African Cup of Nations, as he hopes to get green light from the EFA.

We are in need for the efforts of every player in the upcoming period, and Shikabala is definitely in our thoughts, the Egypt coach told Dream TV.

That’s why we sent a request to the EFA in order to lift the ban.

The Egypt squad will start preparations for their African title defense with a closed camp that starts on Dec. 26 and includes three friendlies.