Parramatta Eels rising star Mohamed Alameddine has been stood down indefinitely amid fears Sydney’s escalating gangland conflict could endanger the winger, his teammates and spectators.
Alameddine has not played in the NSW Cup since June 8, despite remaining contracted to the Eels for next season.
The club made the decision after separate incidents involving some of his relatives prompted NSW Police to contact Parramatta about potential safety concerns.
However, police did not direct the Eels to stand down the young footballer.
Alameddine is not accused of any wrongdoing and has not been linked to organised crime.
The first warning reportedly followed an alleged plot to assassinate Sydney rapper Ay Huncho, whose legal name is Ali Younes.
Parramatta Eels winger Mohamed Alameddine has been stood down indefinitely because of concerns surrounding his safety and others
The rising Eels prospect has not appeared in the NSW Cup competition since his last match on June 8
Police allege several would-be attackers deployed a drone to monitor Younes while he attended a junior rugby league match in western Sydney in April.
Younes is alleged to be a senior member of the Alameddine organised crime network and is related to the Eels winger.
The family has been targeted during a violent dispute with a rival group known as the Coconut Cartel, which reportedly includes former members of the Alameddine network and others competing for control of Sydney’s drug trade.
Officers from the NSW Police Raptor Squad met NSW Rugby League officials after the alleged drone incident and warned them about possible safety risks surrounding Younes’s presence at the match.
Security was subsequently increased at some rugby league fixtures.
The Eels formally removed Alameddine from their playing program after a second incident involving two of his relatives outside a western Sydney school.
A gunman allegedly confronted the pair before his weapon jammed, allowing them to escape unharmed.
The incident occurred one day after Alameddine scored his team’s only try during a 60-4 NSW Cup loss to Canterbury-Bankstown.
Parramatta then decided to stand him down from future matches as a safety precaution.
Alameddine has also been absent from regular team training but continues to follow an individual program.
He reportedly remains in contact with his teammates through WhatsApp.
Parramatta declined to publicly explain his absence when approached for comment.
The decision has prompted a backlash from some rugby league supporters, who questioned why a player not accused of wrongdoing had been removed from competition.
‘This is a disgraceful decision. Expect nothing less from a rubbish organisation like the Parramatta Eels. How can you stand someone innocent down?’ one fan wrote.
‘The NRL needs to investigate this decision.’
Another supporter described the situation as unfair punishment based on Alameddine’s family connections.
‘Guilt by association is a pretty s*** go, some people try to make it out of a life like that with sport or music,’ they wrote.
The stand-down has created uncertainty over Alameddine’s path to first grade, with no date set for his return to team training or competitive football.
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