By Andrew Warshaw
November 26 – Egypt’s delayed league season could finally kick off on December 15 with a proposal that the top division be split into two, partly to reduce fan violence.
Africa’s most successful football nation has been without any domestic games for 10 months following the Port Said Stadium disaster (pictured) in February that left 74 fans dead following riots at the fixture between arch-rivals Al Masry and visiting Al Ahly.
The 2011-2012 season was cancelled and the new campaign, which should have started in September, never got off the ground because of continuing fan unrest, lack of guarantees over safety in the stadiums and demands that those responsible for the Port Said deaths be brought to justice.
A statement between the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and premier league clubs desperate to get their season underway was made without the involvement of the Egyptian Government, which held talks last week with the football authorities over security concerns.
If and when the league does resume, the top-flight division could be divided into two in order to limit fixtures, reduce attendances and weaken militant fan groups, with a playoff in May to decide the title.
One group would feature Al Ahly, the other its Cairo rival Al Zamalek.
Football and politics are interwoven in Egypt with much of the recent trouble linked to opposing factions over the removal of former President Hosni Mubarak.
Zamalek’s administrative manager Hamada Anwar recently warned that the suspension of the league was a financial disaster.
“Besides the clubs, the national team will be badly affected by the championship stoppage,” he was quoted as saying.
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