Soccer players try to leave the stadium as chaos erupts at a soccer stadium in Port Said city, in Egypt, February 1, 2012 (Photo: Reuters)
An interior ministry source said on Tuesday that the ministry is capable of securing the Egyptian Premier League, the start of which was delayed for an indefinite period due to security concerns.
The new league season was due to kick-off on Wednesday, but the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), citing lack of response from the interior ministry, said it would not be able to stage the competition on time.
“The ministry has previously communicated with the relevant parties and informed them that it is capable of securing the league matches at any time the EFA chooses,” the ministry source, who was not identified, was quoted as saying by state-run news agency MENA.
“The decision to delay the league was mainly because the atmosphere was not suitable,” he added without elaborating further.
New EFA chairman Gamal Allam said he seeks to sit down with interior minister Ahmed Gamal El-Deen “as soon as possible” to discuss the issue.
Ahly’s hardcore supporters (the Ultras Ahlawy) have consistently tried to prevent the resumption of domestic football activities, until the perpetrators of the Port Said disaster, in which over 70 football fans were killed in post-match violence, are brought to justice.
Premier League players and coaches argue that any further delay will heavily affect their ultimate source of income.
Nine senior police officers and three Masry club officials are among the 73 people facing charges in relation to the Port Said event. Some of the defendants face murder charges, while the senior officers have been charged with assisting the attackers.
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