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Popular Egyptian movie star files complaint in model pageant row

Society Materials 24 January 2008 17:24 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa ) - Popular Egyptian movie star Khalid Abul Naga has threatened to take action against a German hotel group in a row triggered by his anger over the outcome of a "top model" contest held in Egypt last week, Cairo media reports said Thursday.

The daily al-Badeel newspaper reported that Abul Naga, who was one of the judges at the contest, has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Tourism in the wake of an incident after a German model was chosen the winner over a Brazilian contestant whom he had favoured.

The complaint accuses the German organising committee had forged the votes, while accusing Steigenberger hotel, one of the sponsors and the host of the event in Hurghada, of kicking him out of the hotel in the aftermath of the contest.

But Karim Boushra, the resident manager of the Steigenberger hotel, denied the allegations in remarks to Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

"We did not kick him out of the hotel. He stayed in the hotel two more days after the event and he asked us to book him a flight ticket to Cairo," he told dpa. Boushra also said that Abul Naga had been under the influence of alcohol at the top model contest.

Boushra noted that Steigenberger was not engaged in the selection process in the competition.

Alessandra Alores, 23, of Germany, was chosen winner of the Top Model of the World contest on January 18, triggering the anger of Abul Naga, who reportedly shouted at other members of the judges' committee. He had favoured a Brazilian model.

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