What do you think was the driving factor that led young Egyptian wrestler Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal to escape from Egypt and not return until he would "bring it honor"?

The main driving factor seems to have been financial insecurity and frustration with the support system for Egyptian athletes, rather than a rejection of Egypt itself.

At 19, Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal reportedly felt like a financial burden on his family and wanted to find a way to earn money for them. Young Egyptian wrestlers were described as receiving only about 700–800 Egyptian pounds per month, while even older international-level athletes often earned modest amounts relative to their needs. His promise not to return until he could “bring it honor” suggests that he still felt strongly attached to Egypt—but believed he could achieve success, financial stability, and dignity only by leaving.

So I’d interpret his escape as a combination of economic pressure, limited career prospects, and a sense that the federation was failing to protect or reward athletes. Similar cases involving Egyptian wrestlers reportedly centered on low pay, medical neglect, and uncertainty about life after injury or retirement, which would have made leaving seem like both an act of desperation and an attempt to build a better future.