Egyptian club Al Ahly cancels tryout for South Africa's Mokoena over his support of a politician

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Egyptian soccer team Al Ahly, the most successful club in Africa, has canceled a trial for South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena over his support of a politician. Al Ahly said in a statement Thursday that it was not bringing Mokoena in for a planned tryout after he expressed support for South African opposition party leader Julius Malema, who has been accused of regularly singing a song that incites racial hatred in his home country. On his return to South Africa this week after the African Cup of Nations, Mokoena referred to Malema, the president of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, as “my favorite president in the country.” Al Ahly then canceled Mokoena's tryout next month. “This decision comes in light of recent events surrounding Mr. Teboho Mokoena's public statement at OR Tambo Airport in South Africa where he expressed support for a notorious political leader Julius Malema who called for the killing of white South Africans,” Al Ahly said.