It reflects the sad fact that Egypt has not kept up with the international arena in sports. For example, in the 100m swimming race, when I was a national champion my record was 56 seconds. At that time the world record was 56 seconds. I have often argued that to say we have advanced is misleading, since advancement can only be measured comparatively. To ask about the reasons for this state of affairs is to open a Pandora's box.
Sports is related to every element of life.
So look at the levels of health, education, the state of the environment and discipline in general and you get an idea. This is how Abdel-Aziz explains the fact that despite the ever increasing sums of money allocated towards improving sports in Egypt, little benefit is reaped. To be serious about upgrading sports we have to be honest about identifying the problems, and that is still lacking. This willingness to take on the hard facts has made Abdel-Aziz a major player, especially during times of crisis, at the Ahli and more particularly the Gezira Club. Today, he is head of the committee drafting by-laws for sports institutions.