The women’s sprint and keirin events at the Paris Olympics may go ahead with only 29 participants, following confirmation of the withdrawal of Egypt’s Shahd Saeed.
The 19-year-old received a one-year ban and a US$ 100 fine (the maximum possible) from the Egyptian Cycling Federation following an incident at the conclusion of Egypt’s elite women national road race in April 2024.
Sprinting for third place, she appeared to force her rival into a concrete wall in the approach to the finish line.
The BBC reports that Ganna Eliwa, also 19, was left concussed and with a broken right collarbone and severe cuts and bruises to the right-hand side of her body.
Egypt had received a place in the sprint and keirin events by virtue of the African continental quota.
Saeed has insisted the incident was not deliberate. But Eliwa has said that Saeed did not apologise.
‘I hope she can take part in the Paris Olympics,’ Eliwa is reported to have told one interviewer, ‘because I’m pretty sure she would come last.’
TrackPiste.com reports that Egypt will not send a substitute rider; and with neither the UCI nor the IOC commenting on the matter, and time running out, they suggest it is now likely that the events will proceed with only 29 female entrants.
