F. D. Amr Bey
Encyclopedia
Abdelfattah Amr (14 February 1910 – after 1972), better known as "F.D. Amr Bey" or simply "Amr Bey", was an Egyptian
diplomat and squash
player. He won the British Open
men's title six consecutive times (1933–38), and is considered the first truly dominant squash player in the sport.
" is not a name but a nobiliary title, similar to the British title of "Lord". On 20 November 1943, Amr was given the higher-ranking title of "Pasha
", one of the most important in monarchical Egypt
. The title of "Pasha" supersedes that of "Bey", which is why Amr is sometimes referred to by the pseudonym Amr Pasha.
, which is situated in Upper Egypt
. He moved to England in 1928 as an Egyptian diplomat. He had never practiced squash before, his main sports at the time being tennis and polo
. He represented Egypt in tennis at the Davis Cup
. Amr was introduced to squash while in the United Kingdom, and he took to the game quickly.
The British Open men's title was only recently inaugurated at the time Amr emerged on the scene, but it quickly became the most significant title in the game and came to be viewed by many to be the equivalent to a world championship for the sport. The men's final at the time was played under a "challenge" system, with a challenger taking on the defending champion in a best-of-three-legs match-up, with matches being played at both the two players' respective squash clubs. In 1933, Amr took on Don Butcher
, who had won the title in 1931 and 1932. The first match of the tie was played at Butcher's club, the Conservative Club, with Amr winning 9–0, 9–7, 9–1. The second leg was played at Amr's club, the Bath Club, which Amr won 9–5, 6–9, 9–2, 9–1, 9–4 to capture the title.
No challenger emerged to take on Amr in the British Open final in 1934, so he retained the title by default. Butcher challenged Amr again in the 1935 final, with Amr again winning in two matches – 9–4, 8–10, 10–8, 9–0 and 9–6, 6–9, 9–2, 0–9, 9–5.
In 1936–38, Amr faced Jim Dear
in three consecutive British Open finals, with Amr winning on all three occasions in two straight matches.
In addition to his six British Open titles, Amr won the British Amateur Championship six times (in 1931–3 and 1935–7), an exploit which is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records
. Along with Jonah Barrington, Amr is the only player to win both the British Open and British Amateur titles in the same year, a feat he accomplished five times.
Amr is widely considered to have raised the level of the sport of squash to a new heights through both his outstanding shot-making ability, and his exceptional speed and fitness.
six consecutive times.
's ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1952. At the time, King Farouk of Egypt
was eager to improve Egypt's relations with the United Kingdom. Since Amr was known to be on good terms with the British authorities, the king appointed him on 11 November 1944 as minister plenipotentiary at the Egyptian Embassy in London, where Amr had previously held the post of honorary counselor. Amr replaced Hassan Pasha Nashaat, who was removed from his position after marrying a non-Egyptian. Amr was promoted to the rank of ambassador in August 1945, and always tried to influence King Farouk's decisions in favour of British interests. This led famed intellectual Taha Hussein to state that Amr was "more suited to be Britain's ambassador in Egypt than Egypt's ambassador in Britain."
During his ambassadorship, Amr did not forget his sporting roots: along with the rest of the expatriate Egyptian community in the United Kingdom, he received with great enthusiasm Egypt's Olympic delegation
to the 1948 London Olympics
, which won five medals and was one of the most successful in Egypt's Olympic history. Amr was also involved in the inauguration of the Islamic Cultural Centre
in London, also known as the London Central Mosque. In 1940, the British government had allocated £100,000 for the acquisition of a mosque site in London by Britain's Muslim community, in exchange for the allocation by the Egyptian Government of a piece of land in Cairo for the construction of an Anglican church. The Islamic Cultural Centre was opened in November 1944 by King George VI
. Since Egypt was at the forefront of efforts to establish the centre, Amr was chosen as its first Director of the Board. The Centre went on to become the largest and most important Islamic institution in Europe.
In 1951, Egypt's Wafdist
government, led by Prime Minister Nahhas Pasha, decided to unilaterally abrogate the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936
, a move which the United Kingdom deemed illegal and refused to recognize. As a result, confrontation erupted in the Suez Canal
zone between Egypt's police and fedayeen
on the one hand, and British military forces on the other hand. As a sign of protest, the Egyptian Council of Ministers decided to recall Amr from London on 11 December 1951. Amr was appointed on 25 December as the king's special advisor for foreign affairs, while keeping his original post of ambassador. After the outbreak of the devastating Cairo Fire
of 26 January 1952—which remains unexplained to this day—, there were numerous conspiracy theories
regarding the identity of the perpetrators. Some such as newspaper Al-Masri defended the idea that the fire was started by King Farouk, and accused Amr Pasha and the British Embassy of being part of the plot. According to this view, the appointment of Amr as the king's special advisor only a month prior to the fire's breakout, as well as the selection of Hafez Pasha Afifi, another pro-British official, as chief of the royal cabinet, were measures aimed at undermining the nationalist Wafd government. Supporters of this conspiracy theory allege that Amr and Afifi served as intermediaries between the King and the British in their joint planning of the fire.
The Cairo Fire resulted in the dismissal of Nahhas Pasha and the formation of a new short-lived government headed by Ali Maher Pasha
. The new government decided to send an official Egyptian delegation to the funeral of King George VI as a reconciliatory measure towards the United Kingdom. Amr Pasha was dispatched to London in his capacity as ambassador, along with Prince Muhammad Abdel Moneim, in order to attend the funeral, which was held on 15 February 1952. Nevertheless, Amr did not present new letters of credence
to the new British sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II. The Maher government had to address two major national issues: the departure of British military forces from the Suez Canal zone, and the unification of Egypt and Sudan
, which had hitherto been jointly administered by Egypt and the United Kingdom as a condominium
. As a result, Anglo-Egyptian talks about negotiations were conducted, in which Amr Pasha played a major role. As Egypt's ambassador to the United Kingdom, he shuttled between London and Cairo trying to convey the Egyptian position to British politicians, notably Foreign Minister Anthony Eden
, and then advise Egyptian leaders on the response. After the fall of the Maher government and its replacement by that of El-Hilali Pasha
, the first official negotiating meeting took place on 22 March 1952. Amr was part of the Egyptian negotiating team, which also included El-Hilali Pasha himself as well as Foreign Minister Abdel-Khaleq Hassouna Pasha. The British side refused to commit itself publicly to "the principle of evacuation" before the start of the negotiations. The day after the official start of the negotiations, the Egyptian Parliament
was dismissed. New elections were scheduled for 18 May, and martial law
was extended indefinitely. The extreme political instability Egypt was witnessing at the time resulted in a military coup on 23 July 1952. After King Farouk's abdication in favor of his infant son Fuad II
, the new Regency Council forced Amr into retirement at the end of August of the same year, replacing him as ambassador in London by Mahmoud Fawzi
.
British citizenship
. However, he also kept
his Egyptian nationality
. In 1972, he visited the Egyptian Consulate-General in London in order to renew his Egyptian passport
, which had been expired for more than 15 years. Although he succeeded in obtaining a new passport, Amr requested to keep his expired royal
passport as a souvenir, since it bore the inscription "Ambassador of the King of Egypt and the Sudan
to the United Kingdom." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo did not object to his request. According to Mustafa El-Fiki, a career diplomat who met Amr at the Consulate-General in London in 1972, the former squash player and ambassador told him that he did not hold a grudge against the leaders of the 1952 coup, even though they had sidelined him. Amr acknowledged during their encounter that several mistakes had been committed during the monarchical era, and expressed his enthusiasm for the reforms being implemented at the time by President
Anwar El Sadat
, who had ascended to the presidency two years earlier.
Amr has been confirmed deceased by Squashsite
. However, his year of death has not been reported.
" in squash because his training for the game became the key focus of his life. In addition, Amr is considered part of the "golden age of sports in Egypt," a period spanning the 1940s and 1950s that witnessed numerous famed Egyptian sportsmen, notably swimmers and squash players. In fact, Amr himself was the "discoverer" of Mahmoud Karim
, another Egyptian squash player who dominated the British Open in the postwar period. Karim recalled in a 1965 interview how he had been secretly practicing squash when he was young at the Gezira Sporting Club
, where he worked as a ball boy
. When Amr, a club member, once saw him using his racket without permission, he reprimanded him. After Karim stated he liked the game, Amr was eager to show him that "squash was only for blue bloods and rich people" and thus challenged him to play with him. Amr lost, which was his first ever defeat, thereby jumpstarting Karim's career.
On 28 November 2009, Amr was posthumously honoured with the World Squash Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award. Event organizer Peter Nicol
, himself a former World No. 1
, stated that Amr "is widely considered to have raised the level of the sport of squash to new heights through both his outstanding racket skills and his exceptional speed and fitness, hence his nickname the "Human Streak of Lightning"." Since the 2009 Awards were dominated by Egyptian players such as Karim Darwish
(Player of the Year) and Mohamed El Shorbagy
(Young Player of the Year), Nicol paid tribute to Amr by describing him as "the first building block that created the foundation for Egyptian squash that has been carried on and is no better illustrated than by the recipients of this evening's other awards." Amr's award was collected by James Sandwith, the squash chairman of the Royal Automobile Club
, which was the site of several of Amr's victories.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
diplomat and squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
player. He won the British Open
British Open Squash Championships
The British Open Squash Championships is the oldest and most established tournament in the game of squash. It is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious tournaments in the game, alongside the World Open The British...
men's title six consecutive times (1933–38), and is considered the first truly dominant squash player in the sport.
Name
Amr's full legal name in Arabic is Abdelfattah Amr. "BeyBey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
" is not a name but a nobiliary title, similar to the British title of "Lord". On 20 November 1943, Amr was given the higher-ranking title of "Pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
", one of the most important in monarchical Egypt
Kingdom of Egypt
The Kingdom of Egypt was the first modern Egyptian state, lasting from 1922 to 1953. The Kingdom was created in 1922 when the British government unilaterally ended its protectorate over Egypt, in place since 1914. Sultan Fuad I became the first king of the new state...
. The title of "Pasha" supersedes that of "Bey", which is why Amr is sometimes referred to by the pseudonym Amr Pasha.
Squash career
Amr was born into a prominent family from Abu Tij in Asyut GovernorateAsyut Governorate
Asyut Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It stretches for about 120 km along the banks of the Nile. The capital of the governorate is the city of Asyut.-Etymology:...
, which is situated in Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
. He moved to England in 1928 as an Egyptian diplomat. He had never practiced squash before, his main sports at the time being tennis and polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
. He represented Egypt in tennis at the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
. Amr was introduced to squash while in the United Kingdom, and he took to the game quickly.
The British Open men's title was only recently inaugurated at the time Amr emerged on the scene, but it quickly became the most significant title in the game and came to be viewed by many to be the equivalent to a world championship for the sport. The men's final at the time was played under a "challenge" system, with a challenger taking on the defending champion in a best-of-three-legs match-up, with matches being played at both the two players' respective squash clubs. In 1933, Amr took on Don Butcher
Don Butcher
Donald Butcher, a squash player from England, was the first player to actually win the British Open men's title .Butcher was a professional squash player based at the Conservative Club in London when he played in the first British Open final in December 1930...
, who had won the title in 1931 and 1932. The first match of the tie was played at Butcher's club, the Conservative Club, with Amr winning 9–0, 9–7, 9–1. The second leg was played at Amr's club, the Bath Club, which Amr won 9–5, 6–9, 9–2, 9–1, 9–4 to capture the title.
No challenger emerged to take on Amr in the British Open final in 1934, so he retained the title by default. Butcher challenged Amr again in the 1935 final, with Amr again winning in two matches – 9–4, 8–10, 10–8, 9–0 and 9–6, 6–9, 9–2, 0–9, 9–5.
In 1936–38, Amr faced Jim Dear
Jim Dear
James "Jim" Dear was an English racquets, court tennis, and squash player who effectively won world titles in three different sports during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s....
in three consecutive British Open finals, with Amr winning on all three occasions in two straight matches.
In addition to his six British Open titles, Amr won the British Amateur Championship six times (in 1931–3 and 1935–7), an exploit which is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
. Along with Jonah Barrington, Amr is the only player to win both the British Open and British Amateur titles in the same year, a feat he accomplished five times.
Amr is widely considered to have raised the level of the sport of squash to a new heights through both his outstanding shot-making ability, and his exceptional speed and fitness.
British Open
Amr won the British Open Men's ChampionshipsBritish Open Squash Championships
The British Open Squash Championships is the oldest and most established tournament in the game of squash. It is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious tournaments in the game, alongside the World Open The British...
six consecutive times.
| Year | Location | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Conservative Club Conservative Club The Conservative Club was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1840. In 1950 it merged with the Bath Club, and was disbanded in 1981... (first tie) Bath Club Bath Club The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member.... (return) |
Don Butcher Don Butcher Donald Butcher, a squash player from England, was the first player to actually win the British Open men's title .Butcher was a professional squash player based at the Conservative Club in London when he played in the first British Open final in December 1930... |
9–0 9–7 9–1 and 9–5 6–9 9–2 9–1 9 |
| 1934 | Amr did not receive a challenge. The Championship was played on a challenge system until 1946. No third ties were necessary as all results ended 2–0. | ||
| 1935 | Conservative Club Conservative Club The Conservative Club was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1840. In 1950 it merged with the Bath Club, and was disbanded in 1981... (first tie) Bath Club Bath Club The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member.... (return) |
Don Butcher Don Butcher Donald Butcher, a squash player from England, was the first player to actually win the British Open men's title .Butcher was a professional squash player based at the Conservative Club in London when he played in the first British Open final in December 1930... |
9–4 8–10 10–8 9–0 and 9–6 6–9 9–2 0–9 9–5 |
| 1936 | Bath Club Bath Club The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member.... (first tie) Royal Automobile Club Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School... (return) |
Jim Dear Jim Dear James "Jim" Dear was an English racquets, court tennis, and squash player who effectively won world titles in three different sports during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.... |
9–3 6–9 8–10 9–2 9–4 and 9–4 9–7 3–9 9–7 |
| 1937 | Royal Automobile Club Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School... (first tie) Bath Club Bath Club The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member.... (return) |
Jim Dear Jim Dear James "Jim" Dear was an English racquets, court tennis, and squash player who effectively won world titles in three different sports during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.... |
9–7 7–9 9–7 5–9 9–6 and 9–7 8–10 9–1 9–6 |
| 1938 | Royal Automobile Club Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School... (first tie) Bath Club Bath Club The Bath Club was a sports-themed London gentlemen's club in the twentieth century. It was established in 1894 at 34 Dover Street. Its swimming pool was a noted feature, and it is thought that the swimming pool of the fictional Drones Club was based on this. Sir Henry "Chips" Channon was a member.... (return) |
Jim Dear Jim Dear James "Jim" Dear was an English racquets, court tennis, and squash player who effectively won world titles in three different sports during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.... |
10–8 10–8 4–9 1–9 9–4 and 9–7 8–10 9–6 9–5 |
Diplomatic career
Amr retired from squash in 1938 while still the top player in the game in order to pursue his career as a diplomat. He served as EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
's ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1952. At the time, King Farouk of Egypt
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
was eager to improve Egypt's relations with the United Kingdom. Since Amr was known to be on good terms with the British authorities, the king appointed him on 11 November 1944 as minister plenipotentiary at the Egyptian Embassy in London, where Amr had previously held the post of honorary counselor. Amr replaced Hassan Pasha Nashaat, who was removed from his position after marrying a non-Egyptian. Amr was promoted to the rank of ambassador in August 1945, and always tried to influence King Farouk's decisions in favour of British interests. This led famed intellectual Taha Hussein to state that Amr was "more suited to be Britain's ambassador in Egypt than Egypt's ambassador in Britain."
During his ambassadorship, Amr did not forget his sporting roots: along with the rest of the expatriate Egyptian community in the United Kingdom, he received with great enthusiasm Egypt's Olympic delegation
Egypt at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Egypt competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. 85 competitors, all men, took part in 53 events in 12 sports.- Gold:* Ibrahim Shams — Weightlifting, Lightweight* Mahmoud Fayad - Weightlifting, Featherweight- Silver:...
to the 1948 London Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, which won five medals and was one of the most successful in Egypt's Olympic history. Amr was also involved in the inauguration of the Islamic Cultural Centre
London Central Mosque
The London Central Mosque is a mosque in North London, England. It was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, completed in 1978, and has a prominent golden dome. The main hall can hold over five thousand worshippers, with women praying on a balcony overlooking the hall...
in London, also known as the London Central Mosque. In 1940, the British government had allocated £100,000 for the acquisition of a mosque site in London by Britain's Muslim community, in exchange for the allocation by the Egyptian Government of a piece of land in Cairo for the construction of an Anglican church. The Islamic Cultural Centre was opened in November 1944 by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. Since Egypt was at the forefront of efforts to establish the centre, Amr was chosen as its first Director of the Board. The Centre went on to become the largest and most important Islamic institution in Europe.
In 1951, Egypt's Wafdist
Wafd Party
The Wafd Party was a nationalist liberal political party in Egypt. It was said to be Egypt's most popular and influential political party for a period in the 1920s and 30s...
government, led by Prime Minister Nahhas Pasha, decided to unilaterally abrogate the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936
Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936
The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 was a treaty signed between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Egypt; it is officially known as The Treaty of Alliance Between His Majesty, in Respect of the United Kingdom, and His Majesty, the King of Egypt...
, a move which the United Kingdom deemed illegal and refused to recognize. As a result, confrontation erupted in the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
zone between Egypt's police and fedayeen
Fedayeen
Fedayeen is a term used to describe several distinct militant groups and individuals in West Asia at different times in history. It is sometimes used colloquially to refer to suicide squads, especially those who are not bombers.-Overview:...
on the one hand, and British military forces on the other hand. As a sign of protest, the Egyptian Council of Ministers decided to recall Amr from London on 11 December 1951. Amr was appointed on 25 December as the king's special advisor for foreign affairs, while keeping his original post of ambassador. After the outbreak of the devastating Cairo Fire
Cairo Fire
The Cairo Fire , also known as Black Saturday, was a series of riots that took place on 26 January 1952, marked by the burning and looting of some 750 buildings -- retail shops, cafes, cinemas, hotels, restaurants, theatres, nightclubs and the country's Opera House -- in Downtown Cairo...
of 26 January 1952—which remains unexplained to this day—, there were numerous conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
regarding the identity of the perpetrators. Some such as newspaper Al-Masri defended the idea that the fire was started by King Farouk, and accused Amr Pasha and the British Embassy of being part of the plot. According to this view, the appointment of Amr as the king's special advisor only a month prior to the fire's breakout, as well as the selection of Hafez Pasha Afifi, another pro-British official, as chief of the royal cabinet, were measures aimed at undermining the nationalist Wafd government. Supporters of this conspiracy theory allege that Amr and Afifi served as intermediaries between the King and the British in their joint planning of the fire.
The Cairo Fire resulted in the dismissal of Nahhas Pasha and the formation of a new short-lived government headed by Ali Maher Pasha
Ali Mahir Pasha
Ali Mahir Pasha was an Egyptian political figure. He served as Prime Minister of Egypt from 30 January 1936 to 9 May 1936, a second term from 18 August 1939 to 28 June 1940, a third term from 27 January 1952 to 2 March 1952 and a final fourth term from 23 July 1952 to 7 September 1952...
. The new government decided to send an official Egyptian delegation to the funeral of King George VI as a reconciliatory measure towards the United Kingdom. Amr Pasha was dispatched to London in his capacity as ambassador, along with Prince Muhammad Abdel Moneim, in order to attend the funeral, which was held on 15 February 1952. Nevertheless, Amr did not present new letters of credence
Letter of Credence
A letter of credence is a formal letter usually sent by one head of state to another that formally grants diplomatic accreditation to a named individual to be their ambassador in the country of the head of state receiving the letter...
to the new British sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II. The Maher government had to address two major national issues: the departure of British military forces from the Suez Canal zone, and the unification of Egypt and Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan referred to the manner by which Sudan was administered between 1899 and 1956, when it was a condominium of Egypt and the United Kingdom.-Union with Egypt:...
, which had hitherto been jointly administered by Egypt and the United Kingdom as a condominium
Condominium (international law)
In international law, a condominium is a political territory in or over which two or more sovereign powers formally agree to share equally dominium and exercise their rights jointly, without dividing it up into 'national' zones.Although a condominium has always been...
. As a result, Anglo-Egyptian talks about negotiations were conducted, in which Amr Pasha played a major role. As Egypt's ambassador to the United Kingdom, he shuttled between London and Cairo trying to convey the Egyptian position to British politicians, notably Foreign Minister Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
, and then advise Egyptian leaders on the response. After the fall of the Maher government and its replacement by that of El-Hilali Pasha
Ahmad Najib al-Hilali
Ahmad Najib al-Hilali was an Egyptian lawyer and educator who served as Prime Minister of Egypt twice in 1952.-Life and career:...
, the first official negotiating meeting took place on 22 March 1952. Amr was part of the Egyptian negotiating team, which also included El-Hilali Pasha himself as well as Foreign Minister Abdel-Khaleq Hassouna Pasha. The British side refused to commit itself publicly to "the principle of evacuation" before the start of the negotiations. The day after the official start of the negotiations, the Egyptian Parliament
Parliament of Egypt
The Parliament of Egypt is the currently dissolved bicameral legislature of Egypt. The Parliament is located in Cairo, Egypt's capital. As the legislative branch of the Egyptian government, the Parliament enacts laws, approves the general policy of the State, the general plan for economic and...
was dismissed. New elections were scheduled for 18 May, and martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
was extended indefinitely. The extreme political instability Egypt was witnessing at the time resulted in a military coup on 23 July 1952. After King Farouk's abdication in favor of his infant son Fuad II
Fuad II of Egypt
Fuad II was the last King of Egypt and Sudan.- Biography :He ascended the throne on 26 July 1952 upon the abdication of his father King Farouk I following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952...
, the new Regency Council forced Amr into retirement at the end of August of the same year, replacing him as ambassador in London by Mahmoud Fawzi
Mahmoud Fawzi
Mahmoud Fawzi was an Egyptian diplomat and political figure from Circassian origin, . He was born and died in Cairo....
.
Later life
Amr spent the rest of his life in the United Kingdom, where he and his children obtainedNaturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
British citizenship
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
. However, he also kept
Multiple citizenship
Multiple citizenship is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen under the laws of more than one state. Multiple citizenships exist because different countries use different, and not necessarily mutually exclusive, citizenship requirements...
his Egyptian nationality
Egyptian Nationality Law
The Egyptian Nationality Law is based on a mixture the principles of Jus sanguinis and Jus soli with some alterations. In other words both place of birth and Egyptian parentage are relevant for determining whether a person is an Egyptian citizen....
. In 1972, he visited the Egyptian Consulate-General in London in order to renew his Egyptian passport
Egyptian passport
Egyptian passports are issued to nationals of Egypt for the purpose of international travel. Besides serving as a proof of Egyptian citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Egyptian consular officials abroad if needed....
, which had been expired for more than 15 years. Although he succeeded in obtaining a new passport, Amr requested to keep his expired royal
Kingdom of Egypt
The Kingdom of Egypt was the first modern Egyptian state, lasting from 1922 to 1953. The Kingdom was created in 1922 when the British government unilaterally ended its protectorate over Egypt, in place since 1914. Sultan Fuad I became the first king of the new state...
passport as a souvenir, since it bore the inscription "Ambassador of the King of Egypt and the Sudan
King of Egypt and the Sudan
King of Egypt and the Sudan was the title used by the Egyptian monarch from 16 October 1951 until the abolition of the monarchy on 18 June 1953....
to the United Kingdom." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo did not object to his request. According to Mustafa El-Fiki, a career diplomat who met Amr at the Consulate-General in London in 1972, the former squash player and ambassador told him that he did not hold a grudge against the leaders of the 1952 coup, even though they had sidelined him. Amr acknowledged during their encounter that several mistakes had been committed during the monarchical era, and expressed his enthusiasm for the reforms being implemented at the time by President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Anwar El Sadat
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
, who had ascended to the presidency two years earlier.
Amr has been confirmed deceased by Squashsite
Squashsite
Squashsite is a sport website that provides squash news, results, squash tournament coverage. Squashsite is owned and co-founded by Steve Cubbins and Framboise Gommendy...
. However, his year of death has not been reported.
Sporting legacy
Amr is widely regarded as the first truly dominant player in the sport of squash. Although he never became a professional athlete, he still managed to beat all the top professional players of his time, and has been called the first "professional amateurAmateur sports
Amateur sports are sports in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. Sporting amateurism was a zealously guarded ideal in the 19th century, especially among the upper classes, but faced steady erosion throughout the 20th century with the continuing growth of pro sports...
" in squash because his training for the game became the key focus of his life. In addition, Amr is considered part of the "golden age of sports in Egypt," a period spanning the 1940s and 1950s that witnessed numerous famed Egyptian sportsmen, notably swimmers and squash players. In fact, Amr himself was the "discoverer" of Mahmoud Karim
Mahmoud Karim
Mahmoud el Karim was a squash player from Egypt. He won the British Open men's title four consecutive times from 1947-1950.-Playing career:...
, another Egyptian squash player who dominated the British Open in the postwar period. Karim recalled in a 1965 interview how he had been secretly practicing squash when he was young at the Gezira Sporting Club
Gezira Sporting Club
The Gezira Sporting Club is the largest multi-sport facility in Egypt. It was founded in 1882 and was originally called Khedivial Sporting Club. It is located on the island of Zamalek in Cairo.-History:...
, where he worked as a ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
. When Amr, a club member, once saw him using his racket without permission, he reprimanded him. After Karim stated he liked the game, Amr was eager to show him that "squash was only for blue bloods and rich people" and thus challenged him to play with him. Amr lost, which was his first ever defeat, thereby jumpstarting Karim's career.
On 28 November 2009, Amr was posthumously honoured with the World Squash Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award. Event organizer Peter Nicol
Peter Nicol
Peter Nicol, MBE , is a former professional squash player from the United Kingdom, who represented first Scotland and then England in international squash. In 1998, while still competing for Scotland, he became the first player from the UK to hold the World No. 1 ranking...
, himself a former World No. 1
Official Men's Squash World Ranking
PSA world rankings is the official world ranking for men's squash. The ranking is to rate the performance level of male professional squash player. It is also a merit-based method used for determining entry and seeding in men's squash tournaments...
, stated that Amr "is widely considered to have raised the level of the sport of squash to new heights through both his outstanding racket skills and his exceptional speed and fitness, hence his nickname the "Human Streak of Lightning"." Since the 2009 Awards were dominated by Egyptian players such as Karim Darwish
Karim Darwish
Karim Darwish is a squash player from Egypt.-Career:Earlier in 2008, Darwish finished runner-up at the World Open, losing in the final to fellow Egyptian player Ramy Ashour...
(Player of the Year) and Mohamed El Shorbagy
Mohamed El Shorbagy
Mohamed El Shorbagy, is a professional squash player who represented Egypt. He reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 8 in November 2011.- External links :* profile on the PSA official website...
(Young Player of the Year), Nicol paid tribute to Amr by describing him as "the first building block that created the foundation for Egyptian squash that has been carried on and is no better illustrated than by the recipients of this evening's other awards." Amr's award was collected by James Sandwith, the squash chairman of the Royal Automobile Club
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
, which was the site of several of Amr's victories.