Egyptian Government Authorizes Resumption of Soccer Matches

The Egyptian government has authorized the restart of the country’s premier soccer league after clubs warned that the continued suspension since January threatened to bankrupt them. The authorization, following a meeting between Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and senior sports officials, comes two days after the government had cancelled plans to restart the league because of last weekend’s... 

Egyptian Soccer Executive Warns League Cancellation Could Bankrupt Clubs

By James M. Dorsey A prominent Egyptian soccer executive has warned that cancellation of the country’s Premier League in the wake of last weekend’s invasion of the pitch during an African championship match could bankrupt the sport. Khaled Mortagey, a board member of Al Ahly SC, Egypt’s most popular club told BBC Sport that already financial troubled clubs “would go out of business... 

Egypt Pressures CAF To Be Lenient on Zamalek After Soccer Pitch Invasion

Egyptian soccer officials are pressing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to limit the damage their country will suffer as a result of this weekend’s invasion of the pitch by militant fans of crowned Cairo club Zamalek SC’s African championship against Tunisia’s Club Africain. CAF spokesman Amr Shaheen said Zamalek faces up to a three-year ban from playing in African competitions.... 

Ultras Deny Invasion of African Soccer Championship Pitch Was Political Provocation

By James M. Dorsey Supporters of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak may have instigated this weekend’s invasion of the soccer pitch during a crucial African championship match between crowned Cairo club Zamalek SC and Tunisia’s Club Africain, according to Egypt’s government-owned Al Ahram newspaper. Al Ahram quoted an eyewitness as saying that he had heard a man instructing others... 

Egyptian Militant Soccer Fans Freeze Activity

Militant soccer fans of crowned Cairo soccer club Zamalek SC decided Sunday to freeze their activities in a bid to regain control of hooligans in their ranks who this weekend invaded the pitch during their team’s crucial African championship match against Tunisia’s Club Africain. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Ultra White Knights (UWK), the militant, violence-prone Zamalek fan... 

Zamalek Ultras Disrupt African Soccer Match in Stunning Display of Nihilism

A major Egyptian group of ultras, fanatical soccer fans who played a key role in the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak and was developing into a powerful political pressure group, invaded the pitch during their team’s crucial African Champions League match against Tunisia’s Club Africain in a stunning reversal of their fortunes. Ultras White Knights (UWK), the highly organized radical... 

Egyptian Police and Ultras Brace for Clash at African Championship

By James M. Dorsey Egyptian security forces and militant soccer fans were bracing themselves Saturday for the first post-revolution clash as the supporters prepared to stage their biggest choreographed, flare-assisted performance yet during crowned Cairo club Zamalek SC’s crucial African championship match against Tunisia’s Club Africain. The display of critical but unconditional support... 

Former Prisoner Accuses Egyptian Goalkeeper Coach of Beating Him in Prison

A former political prisoner who was jailed for 12 years by the government of former President Hosni Mubarak has accused Egyptian national team goalkeeper coach Ahmed Soliman of assaulting and beating him in prison. Magdi Zaki, who was detained for 17 years, said the incident happened when Soliman, widely believed to be an officer of the hated Egyptian police force, intervened in an altercation between... 

Foreign Players Threaten to Leave Egypt Because of Financial Turmoil

Foreign players playing for Premier Egyptian League clubs are threatening to seek greener pastures if Egypt’s military rulers fail to lift the two-month ban on professional league matches and Egyptian clubs prove unable to live up to their financial commitments. The loss of foreign players and possibly coaches could severely damage the soccer standing and performance of Egypt, one of Africa’s... 

Egyptian Reluctance to Restart League Is Rooted in Soccer’s Political History

The Egyptian military’s reluctance to authorize a resumption of professional league matches is rooted in Egyptian soccer’s history as a political football. While the Mubarak regime saw soccer as a tool to garner popularity, its opponents frequently turned it into a rare venue for expression of anti-government sentiment. U.S. embassy cables leaked by Wikileaks describe how opposition leader... 

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