Former official calls for delay in Egyptian Premier League
Author: Nehal El-Sherif
Cairo (dpa) - A former member of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), Magdi Abdul-Ghani, called Monday for the postponement of the Premier League due to the unrest in Egypt, despite assurances by sports officials that it will start as scheduled.
"I call on all sports officials and the government to take a final decision for delaying the championship," Abdel-Ghani told dpa.
The violence, which has claimed around 50 lives, erupted last week as Egyptians took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled president Hosny Mubarak.
The deadliest clashes were in Port Said city after a Cairo court handed down death sentences to 21 locals accused of murder over the deaths of 74 fans in riots that broke out between rival fans of the hosts al-Masry and the visiting team al-Ahly following a Premier League match.
It was the country's worst football tragedy in more than a decade.
The verdict for the remaining 52 defendants will be given on March 9, the judge said.
Abdel-Ghani, a former player who now heads Egypt's Professional Footballers' Association, which represents players, said that his call for delaying the league is not just due to the Port Said case, but due to the political tension in the country.
"Therefore, it is necessary EFA officials to leave their differences aside and focus on the interest of Egyptian football," he said.
His call comes after an EFA member confirmed that the league will go ahead as scheduled on February 2, despite a one-month nighttime curfew imposed on the three restive coastal cities of Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.
However, matches that were scheduled to be held there will be moved to Cairo, Hamada al-Masry, told dpa.
"It is important that the Egyptian League is resumed, especially now that many clubs are near bankruptcy due to the football suspension," al-Masry said.
The Premier League has been suspended since the Port Said deadly riot in February.
