FIFA demand explanation into Egypt riots

FIFA have demanded a full report into the violence that erupted at a football match in the Egyptian city of Port Said on Wednesday night that left at least 74 people dead and 248 injured.

Hoards of Al Masry fans some armed with knives invaded the pitch after a surprise 3-1 win over Cairo club Al-Ahly in Port Said last night attacking opposing players, supporters and security officers.

Reports suggest some Al-Ahly fans suffocated, trapped in a narrow corridor as they fled the violence.

Al-Ahly’s Portuguese coach Manuel Jose has returned to Portugal to ponder his future after being attacked, while his assistant coach Pedro Barny backed up the claims that security staff did too little.

Jose told www.el-ahly.com: “I was beaten with fists and kicks to the neck, head and feet. I saw our fans die before us and we are unable to do anything.”

Assistant coach Barny added: “What happened was an unspeakable catastrophe.”

Both sets of supporters are known to have had a long running feud and clashes have erupted in previous years.

There have been claims that the police and security forces did little to intervene, and that the violence was tied up with the political power struggle in the country.

FIFA, the game’s world governing body have today asked the Egyptian authorities to provide an explanation into what happened.

FIFA said in a statement: “FIFA has asked the Egyptian authorities for a full report on the incidents in order to evaluate what happened.”

In a letter to Egyptian FA president Samir Zaher, the world governing body’s president Blatter offered support and said: “Today is a black day for football and we must take steps to ensure that such a catastrophe never happens again.

“Football is a force for good and we must not allow it to be abused by those who mean evil.

“I await further news from you concerning the circumstances of this tragedy.”

“From the beginning of the game, the fans of the opposing team’s fans were allowed to fire rockets and stones at us without any intervention.

“In the end, it turned into a state of madness without any role for the security in the stands.

“We tried to save the lives of some of the fans, but many died before our eyes.”

The Egyptian Football Federation has announced an indefinite suspension of all leagues in the country following the trouble.

Crowds are already gathering in Cairo as tensions rise following last night’s riots. Angry fans, many of them al-Ahly supporters known as Ultras, used metal barriers and vehicles to close off Tahrir Square, the scene of huge protests last year which led to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. Others are marching in protest at the handling of the riots by police.

Three days of national mourning have been declared and the cabinet and parliament are meeting to discuss Wednesday nights events.

Egypt’s public prosecutor has ordered the questioning of 52 people arrested after the riots, as well as the Port Said governor and the city’s security chief, who was sacked earlier.

Posted by MarkG on February 2, 2012. Filed under FA Barclays Premiership, NPower Championship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.