Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has hit back at former striker Amr Gamal, after the Egyptian alleged that he is racist following an altercation Hunt says never happened.

The striker spent seven months at Wits after signing on a one-year loan spell in the 2017-18, before moving to Finnish side HJK Helsinki before returning to Ahly in July 2018.

His spell was not particularly successful but he did manage to score three goals in four Telkom Knockout games to help guide the Clever Boys to the trophy.

Gamal recently hit out at Hunt when he claimed they were involved in a physical bust-up and that the coach was arrogant and racist.

‘I was [Wits’] top goalscorer and I led them to win the [TKO] cup. But the coach insulted and humiliated me, and we even had a physical altercation. I was only defending myself,’ Gamal told Egypt’s OnTime Sport 2 TV channel, according to KingFut.com.

‘He was arrogant and a racist, even his statements were provocative. They didn’t allow me to play even though I was the team’s top-scorer.

‘He told me: “I won’t let you return to Al Ahly and you won’t play in the World Cup.” And at the time I received an offer from Rubin Kazan, I thought it would’ve been a great opportunity for me and a chance to play in the World Cup in Russia.

‘Al Ahly didn’t mind the transfer, but Bidvest refused to let me go and the transfer window eventually closed. That’s why I was forced to play in Finland.’

Hunt, though, has hit back at the claims telling KickOff.com that the comments were a disgrace and that he didn’t even know what the striker was talking about. He also slammed the striker’s attitude and behaviour.

‘I don’t know what he’s talking [about]. I’ve never heard of Rubin Kazan, and how could I be racist towards him? I mean, that’s a disgrace, man,’ said Hunt.

‘Is it that he’s Muslim and I’m Christian? I mean, please. I don’t know if he’s referring to me, because I never had an altercation with him.

‘Maybe he’s saying the manager – Jose [Ferreira, former Wits CEO] – but that’s not me. I don’t decide on his moves, I knew nothing about Kazan, man, that’s office business.

‘All that rubbish about not playing in the World Cup, how can I decide that? It’s got nothing to do with me, it’s complete nonsense. He’s talking about top-scorer, with what? Three goals in 20 games?

‘We paid him for that. He was staying in Melrose Arch – geewhiz, you should have seen how he trashed the place, we had to pay two months’ rent to fix it up after he left.

‘His claims are nonsense. I certainly had nothing to do with it. He was walking and standing around here on the pitch, doing nothing, and that’s why he didn’t play. I had no altercations, and racist? That’s out of line, what a joke,’ he concluded.