CAIRO - Egyptian Football Association (EFA) interim head Anwar Saleh has decided to start the Egypt's Cup on 15 April in the military stadiums, but he is still waiting for the approval of the security authorities, the EFA spokesman said. "The tournament will be held over 35 days from April 15 to May 20," Azmi Megahed, the EFA spokesman told Egypt's official Middle East News Agency (MENA). Megahed pointed out that the teams will be divided into two groups. “We want to hold this tournament soon, so that soccer activities can return to normal,” he added, stressing that the EFA is waiting for the approval of the Ministry of Interior to secure the matches. Early last month, the EFA cancelled the Premier League 2011-12 season, deciding to replace it with a friendly tournament called the ‘Martyrs' Cup' and the Egypt's Cup, played behind closed doors. But then, in mid-March, the EFA decided to indefinitely suspend the Martyrs' Cup after Al-Ahly and Zamalek Ultras groups threatened to cause trouble in the stadiums, if the tournament and the Egypt's Cup went ahead before the perpetrators of the massacre in Port Said were punished. Two months ago, on February 1, in the coastal city of Port Said, a match between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League turned violent, claiming the lives of at least 74 Al-Ahly fans and injuring around 1,000 more. Seconds after the final whistle, thousands of supporters of Port Said team Al-Masry invaded the pitch, hurling bottles and rocks at the fans of Cairo's Al-Ahly. Egypt's Prosecutor-General has referred 75 people to the criminal court, charged with premeditated murder, in the wake of the violence. "The top team in group A will face the second in group B, while the second team in group A will face the first in group B, with the two winners qualifying for the final and the losers meeting each other in the playoff for third place," explained Megahed. He pointed out that the tournament will be held at Cairo International Stadium, Borg al-Arab Stadium, the Military Stadium and el-Geish Stadium. "We have sent a letter to Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim for the official approval to start the tournament in mid-April," he added. Saleh said that the federation will invite all the clubs, including Al-Ahly, to participate in the Cup. Last week, the board of Al-Ahly Club decided to boycott all EFA-organised competitions and local tournaments. "We also reject the EFA sanctions on Al-Masry Club in the wake of the Port Said tragedy, because these sanctions are at odds with what happened at Port Said Stadium, ignoring the magnitude of the disaster," Mahmoud Allam, the director-general of Al-Ahly Club, said last week. EFA announced the freezing of Al-Masry first team for two years and a home-play ban lasting three years. The EFA decision excludes Al-Masry's youth and junior teams from the sanctions. The EFA sanctions also added that Al-Ahly will have to play four matches behind closed doors, while the team's technical coach, Manuel José da Silva, and team captain Hossam Ghali will be suspended for four years and each fined LE5,000 (around $830) for bad behaviour. "We will also boycott all the sports activities and competitions, including the Egypt's Cup and the Martyrs' Cup, to be held under the auspices of the EFA interim board," Allam pointed out, stressing that the board is not eligible to issue any decisions affecting the future of Egyptian soccer. Megahed stressed that playing the Egypt's Cup now is vital, to help the clubs, which are suffering financially and could go bankrupt. "The National Sports Council is fully co-operating with us to provide pitches with surveillance cameras and metal gates. The Ministry of Interior insists on these security requirements," the spokesman told Al-Arabiya.net.
