Egyptian star Mohamed Salah is considering whether to retire from his country's national team following a controversial meeting with the president of Russia's Chechen region, sources told ESPN FC and CNN.
Salah met with Chechnya's leader, Ramzan A. Kadyrov, during an evening training session at Egypt's base in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, before the World Cup. Photographers captured Salah smiling beside Kadyrov as they walked around the Akhmat Arena. It sparked outrage because Kadyrov is a serial human rights abuser who "exerts a ruthless grip on the region," according to the Human Rights Watch. He's also been accused of torture, oppression, and discrimination against the LGBT community.
Human Rights Watch associate director Jane Buchanan previously criticised the Egyptian FA for choosing the region for its World Cup camp, telling The Associated Press in February it was an "absolutely shocking and outrageous" decision.
The aftermath of the political dispute left Salah feeling unhappy and uncomfortable with "being used as a pawn," according to ESPN FC's Mark Ogden.
Salah was at loggerheads with Egypt's FA earlier this year over the use of his image by a local sponsor. He called the incident "insulting" and the organisation "classless" in a rare outburst on Twitter.
The 26-year-old forward - who scored 44 goals for Liverpool last season - has dealt with a nagging shoulder injury during the World Cup, and couldn't keep Egypt from elimination. The north African side lost its first two Group A matches against Uruguay and Russia.
