The 22-year-old missed the preparations for Wednesday's league game with Military Production and was accordingly dropped from the match squad.

"Hazem will be subjected to a severe sanction after he missed training without permission," Zamalek director Ibrahim Hassan told the club's official site.

"We tried to call him several times but he wasn’t answering his phone and he didn’t call back to explain his absence.

"This time he will be punished because the management has been lenient with him recently due to his personal issues."

Emam has been considered a key member of Hossam Hassan's side when the latter took charge late in 2009, but was struggling with personal problems since the start of the New Year.

The pacey full-back was named in Egypt's provisional African Cup of Nations roster, but was left out of the final squad that won the trophy in Angola.

He has hardly featured for Zamalek in their recent unbeaten run in the league, leaving the right flank for the impressive Ahmed Ghanem.