Fathi Sanad: I Am Proud to Be a Graduate of Cairo University’s Faculty of Mass Communication… I Was Mentored by Great Professors
I learned sports journalism in the Akhbar Al-Youm school… and I am honored to have served as Editor-in-Chief of Akhbar Al-Riyadah.
A distinguished media professional must work hard and research thoroughly to reach accurate information.

Interview by: Al-Zahraa Rashad

He is a distinguished journalist and a pioneer of Egyptian sports journalism. His writings have tackled numerous sports issues, and he served as Editor-in-Chief of Akhbar Al-Riyadah newspaper for many years, after being involved in its founding. He has also passed on his experience to a new generation of young journalists. We spoke to him about his professional and personal journey, and his memories from his days as a student at the Faculty of Mass Communication.

To begin, tell us about joining the Faculty of Mass Communication… Was it your choice during secondary school?
I joined the Faculty of Mass Communication in 1971, when it was called The Institute of Media, Editing, and Translation. It was not well known at the time, but the students who joined had a genuine desire for change. Admission required a minimum score of 65%, which at that time qualified students to enter Engineering, Commerce, or Science. There were written and oral examinations, and a minimum grade requirement in Arabic, English, and French.

This made the first graduating class—Class of 1975—a distinguished one, because students were selected not only based on grades (as in the typical coordination system) but also through exams. It was, in my opinion, the ideal admission system for the Faculty of Mass Communication.

Which professors do you remember most?
I can never forget the great Dean, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Imam, and of course my professor, the renowned journalist Galal Al-Hamamsy, who trained us in the different arts of journalism and played a major role in helping me join Akhbar Al-Youm.

I was also taught by prominent journalists such as Kamel Al-Zohairi from Al-Ahram, Saeed Sanbal from Al-Akhbar, Ibrahim Saada from Akhbar Al-Youm, and the famous Mustafa and Ali Amin. But it was Professor Galal Al-Hamamsy who continued teaching me throughout my university years.

What memories do you have of Sout Al-Gamaa (The University Voice newspaper)?
I began my training at Sout Al-Gamaa in my early student years. Professor Hamamsy always emphasized that a journalist will face difficult situations and must learn how to handle and overcome various challenges.

He brought in senior journalists to train us, including Salah Qabbadaya. We were assigned to different sections—news, features, sports, arts, etc.—and we followed every production stage, from writing and editing to printing at Akhbar Al-Youm’s presses, and even the distribution process.

Who were the most notable colleagues from your graduating class?
I was the first in my class to become Editor-in-Chief of a newspaper—Akhbar Al-Riyadah.
Among my colleagues who later became major figures in Egyptian journalism were:

Osama Saraya, former Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram
Mahmoud Salah, Editor-in-Chief of Akhbar Al-Hawadeth
Momtaz Al-Qut, Editor-in-Chief of Akhbar Al-Youm
Mohsen Hassanein, Editor-in-Chief of October Magazine
Salah El-Din Mostafa, former head of Egyptian TV and one of the leading presenters
From the years after mine: Emad Adib and Amr Abdel-Samea, both of whom became well-known editors and TV hosts
And I cannot forget Essam Salem, who served for many years as Managing Editor of Al-Ittihad newspaper in the UAE.

Which classmates went on to become prominent academics?
Certainly Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Alam El-Din, former Head of the Journalism Department and Vice-Dean of the Faculty, and media advisor to several ministries.
Also Prof. Dr. Ashraf Saleh, a pioneer in newspaper design, as well as Professors Hassan Emad Makawy and Adly Reda from the Radio and Television Department.

You traveled to Oman and founded the sports section for its first daily newspaper. Tell us about that experience.
I selected a group of journalists to help establish the paper, including:
Abdel-Aati Mahmoud (Al-Ahram Al-Arabi), Mohamed Saeed, Mohamed Al-Hawary, Momtaz Al-Qut, and Abdel-Qader Mohamed and his wife, and Fouad Ahmed Ali.

We accomplished something historic: the launch of the first daily newspaper in Oman. Its first issue was published in November 1980, coinciding with the National Day of Oman. I established the sports section there.

Several years later, Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq—then a cousin of Sultan Qaboos and head of the football federation—tasked me with founding Al-Shabiba newspaper. He sent an official letter to the Minister of Information and to the Chairman of Akhbar Al-Youm requesting permission for me to travel. I went, founded Al-Shabiba, and today Sayyid Haitham is the Sultan of Oman. I am very proud of the work I did with him.

You helped establish Akhbar Al-Riyadah in 1989. What were the editorial guidelines?
The first Editor-in-Chief was Saeed Sanbal. He brought us copies of the British tabloid Tele Express as a model.
The page designer was Saeed Ismail, a leading figure in layout design in Egypt.

We also brought in a group of young journalists:
Osama Abu Zeid, Ayman Badra (later Editor-in-Chief), Mohamed Sadeq, Elham Abdel-Fattah, Hanaa Kamel, Amr El-Dardir (later joined Al-Ahram), and Essam Sheltout (later head of sports at Youm7).

Akhbar Al-Riyadah achieved huge success and record-breaking circulation numbers. Columnists included major writers such as Ibrahim Saada, Mohsen Mohamed, Moussa Sabri, Ahmed Ragab, and the legendary cartoonist Mostafa Hussein.

One year after its launch, Professor Saeed Sanbal nominated me to become Editor-in-Chief.

You covered many championships—Arab, African, and the World Cup. Is there one event that stands out?
After 56 years of absence, Egypt qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. I traveled to cover this historic event.

After Egypt exited in the first round, I was asked to stay and cover the final. I attended the semifinal in Naples and the final in Rome.

I had brought copies of Akhbar Al-Riyadah with me. We were allowed to attend the Italian training sessions, and I noticed that Italy’s star Salvatore Schillaci had a remarkable backstory—he had worked in a workshop before becoming a national hero.

I interviewed him, gave him copies of our newspaper, and sent the report to Egypt via EgyptAir, as the internet was not yet widely available. The piece was a great success among readers.

Have you attended any Olympic Games?
Yes, I covered:

The 1988 Seoul Olympics
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics
Later, I gave younger journalists the opportunity to travel instead of me, even though it was customary for the Editor-in-Chief to attend. Still, as a member of the Media Committee of the Arab Football Federation, I traveled frequently to many Arab countries.

Your column “La Mo’akhza” (No Offense) became famous in Akhbar Al-Riyadah. Why did you choose this title?
I started with a column titled “Please Don’t Be Angry” in Akhbar Al-Riyadah.
After its success, I began writing a column in Akhbar Al-Youm and chose “La Mo’akhza” because my style leans toward satire, and the phrase helps set the tone.

The column still exists today. I am very proud of my writing, even though I currently serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of ON TV Network. But the pen will always have its magic.

Finally… What is missing in Egyptian sports journalism today?
It needs integrity, professionalism, neutrality, and discipline.
Sports journalism is going through a difficult phase and requires reorganizing the entire media environment to restore proper journalistic standards.