By Mark Baber
February 10 – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued a statement of sorrow for the deaths of Zamalek fans outside the Air Defense stadium on Sunday, extending his condolences to the families of the victims.
But while the president has ordered a probe and measures to ensure there is no repetition, the Interior Ministry and Prosecutor-General have sought to blame the fans for their own demise and the chairman of Zamalek has sacked a popular player who refused to participate in the match minutes after the deaths of the supporters.
A preliminary medical report by Egypt’s Forensic Authority concluded 19 people died after suffering bruises and abrasions in the chest as a result of pressure on the chest cavity and lungs due to a stampede. Whilst none of the deaths were apparently caused directly by live ammunition, birdshot or suffocation from teargas, video uploaded to social media shows police firing into the packed crowd of supporters outside the stadium. It has emerged that police had erected a make-shift, barbed-wire and metal-fenced narrow path for the fans to enter in order to watch the game.
The ministry of interior is maintaining the line that the tragedy was caused when large numbers of Zamalek fans attempted to storm the stadium with a spokesman saying: “I refuse to hold the ministry of interior responsible for what happened at the Air Defence Stadium,”
According to an official statement, “The Zamalek fans tried to get in by force, and we had to prevent them from damaging public property.”
Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat reiterated the same version of events, accusing the football fans of blocking a road and torching two police cars.
The chairman of Zamalek, Mortada Mansour, who has an ongoing dispute with his club’s main fan group, the Ultras White Knights, claimed the ultras were responsible for the incident, although he himself faces questions over how 10,000 tickets for the game were distributed. Mansour said the White Knights should be banned as a terrorist organisation and also said that popular player Omar Gaber, who refused to play in the match after the news of the disaster came out, would no longer be welcome at the club.
Former Zamalek player Mohamed Abdel-Shafy said: “What happened was a massacre. Shame on the Zamalek players who accepted to play on the dead bodies of their fans.” In contrast, Gaber defended the players who participated in the game saying they did not appreciate the scale of the disaster which had just unfolded – as it became clear the match referee was also not unformed of events.
Gaber told Egyptian television: “Don’t blame the players as they weren’t sure that there were victims in front of the stadium prior to kick-off. I decided not to play the match after the fans tried to stop the team’s bus while entering the stadium.
“Firstly, some fans told us that there were victims so the players initially decided not to play but then security officials said that there are no deaths, so they played. However, I stood firm on my decision.
“I need to stay away from everything and I’m not going to play for Zamalek again.” Gaber had spent his whole career at Zamalek, graduating through the youth teams.
Zamalek supporters have received strong support from across Egyptian football, including Al Ahly football director Wael Gomaa who said: “It seems like we didn’t learn from the Port Said disaster. Football fans pay the price. How can spectators’ lives be worth less than a football game ticket?!”
Samir Zaher former Egyptian FA chairman, called for the resignation of the FA board saying, “The Football Association is responsible for the disaster. The board [led by Gamal Allam] must resign.”
On the other hand, former Egypt goalkeeper and opponent of the ultras groups Ahmed Shobeir said: “All Ultras groups must be dissolved for the sake of a safe life for Egyptians. All outlaws should be put on trial, not killed.”
FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter expressed his concern tweeting “Football party at #AFCON2015 is tainted hearing very sad news from Egypt.” Whilst the investigation continues, there is little doubt Egyptian football is at a crossroads, with the fall-out set to continue just as the fans pay their final respects to the dead in mosques around Cairo.
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