Shorouk Shimi Sports Journalism Award Announces Winners for Second Edition

The judging committee of the second edition of the Shorouk Shimi Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism has announced the winners for 2026, recognizing the best sports journalism works published during 2025. The award is part of an initiative launched by Al-Ahram Hebdo weekly in partnership with the Journalists Syndicate, commemorating the late journalist Shorouk Shimi, former head of the sports section at the newspaper.

Fierce Competition Among Dozens of Entries

The second edition saw competition among dozens of journalistic works evaluated by the judging committee. The winning entries secured the top three positions due to their professional depth and journalistic treatment of diverse sports, administrative, and humanitarian issues.

First Place: Hot Money Investigation

The judging committee awarded first place to journalist Atef Abdel Wahed from Al-Ahram Al-Riyadi newspaper for his investigative report titled “Hot Money in Al-Ahly and Zamalek: Where Does Transfer and Contract Money Come From?” The report tackled a complex issue related to financing sports deals and managing the transfer market within Egyptian clubs.

Second Place: The Human Side of Global Sports

Second place went to journalist Mahmoud El-Assal from Al-Ahram Online for his English-language article “Beyond the Game: Athletes and Fans Who Raised Their Voices Against the Israeli War on Gaza.” The article highlighted the humanitarian dimension within the global sports scene and solidarity issues that have received insufficient attention in international sports coverage.

Third Place: The 5 Billion File

Third place was awarded to journalist Medhat Roshdy from Akhbar El-Yom newspaper for his investigation “The 5 Billion File: Contract Failures Cost Egypt Millions in Euros and Dollars.” The report addressed complex financial and administrative issues through a documented investigative approach.

Award Ceremony

Al-Ahram Foundation is scheduled to host the award ceremony on Tuesday, June 9, with the presence of an elite group of press and media leaders and sports figures.

Commemorating Shorouk Shimi

The award bears the name of the late journalist Shorouk Shimi, who passed away in 2024 after leaving a prominent professional mark in sports journalism at Al-Ahram Hebdo. The award aims to support sports journalists, encourage distinguished professional work, and keep pace with the rapid developments in the sports media industry.

Judging Committee

The judging committee for the second edition included Mahmoud Sabry, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Al-Riyadi magazine; Ayman Abu Ayyad, head of the sports section at Al-Ahram newspaper; and Enas Mazhar, member of the Egyptian Football Association and head of the sports section at Al-Ahram Weekly.