Al-Ahly’s Abu Treika says to ‘abandon politics’ to keep Egypt unified

Al-Ahly’s legendary midfielder Mohammed Abu Treika, who is an Islamist-leaning footballer, said that he will abandon politics to stave off “widening differences between Egyptian people,” an Egypt-based daily reported Sunday.

Leaving politics behind will help to avoid “stirring hatred” among Egyptian people at a time of political turmoil, Al-Ahram Online website reported him as saying.

The country’s controversial new constitution championed by President Mohamed Mursi and his Islamist allies has divided the nation.

Before the second round of the nation-wide referendum on the draft constitution on Dec. 22, opponents and supporters of Mursi clashed in Egypt’s second city, Alexandria. Dozens were wounded.

After two rounds of voting, an unofficial tally showed 64 percent of voters backed the plebiscite, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled President Mursi to power in a June election, said.