Abdul El-Sayed feuds with Dave Portnoy over response to Michigan cheating allegation comments

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed mocked Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Saturday, commenting on Portnoy's body and athleticism.

El-Sayed's comment came after Portnoy called the Democrat a "terrorist" over a joke about the Wolverines cheating.

"Meanwhile, heres [Portnoy] committing an act of athletic terrorism. Less pizza, more gym, habibi," El-Sayed wrote on X over a clip of Portnoy sprinting on a turf field.

EL-SAYED QUESTIONS ETHICS OF FOOTBALL IN RESURFACED AUDIO

The exchange followed a clip of El-Sayed, a University of Michigan graduate, joking about his alma maters football program.

"Is Michigan going to win a game without cheating? I say this as a Wolverine," El-Sayed said in a clip.

Portnoy responded, "This guy really is a terrorist." El-Sayeds Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, shared Portnoys post and wrote that Portnoy "is exactly right."

Asked whether Rogers actually believed El-Sayed was a terrorist, Rogers spokeswoman Alyssa Brouillet told The Detroit News, "Parroting Ohio State talking points is a bridge too far."

El-Sayeds football jab followed Michigans sign-stealing scandal.

In August 2025, the NCAA announced multimillion-dollar financial penalties, recruiting restrictions and four additional years of probation after finding an impermissible scouting scheme involving former staffer Connor Stalions.

In 2024, its football program acknowledged impermissible recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period, improper tryouts and unauthorized coaching by noncoaching staff. The NCAA separately found that former coach Jim Harbaugh provided false or misleading information to investigators.

Under former coach Rich Rodriguez, Michigan received three years of probation in 2010 and a 130-hour reduction in practice time after violations involving excessive practice and training activities. The schools basketball program also faced sanctions over improper loans from booster Ed Martin to four players, including Chris Webber, resulting in forfeited victories, scholarship reductions and four years of probation.

The social media clash also comes as El-Sayed faces criticism over his responses to questions about Irans regime and Islamist organizations.

At a September town hall, Iranian-American student Iman Dashti described his familys alleged mistreatment by Iranian authorities and pressed El-Sayed to condemn the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Islamic Republic. El-Sayed responded by opposing American-led regime change and arguing that Irans people should determine their government, drawing criticism for avoiding a direct condemnation.

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During an Oct. 5 interview,