Interior ministry says ‘No’ to Egypt football Cup

Soccer players try to leave the stadium at a soccer stadium in Port Said city The Egyptian Football Association (EFA), under caretaking chairman Anwar Saleh, announced Sunday that the interior ministry refused to secure the 2012 Egypt Cup.
“The association has received an official letter from the Interior Ministry rejecting our request to secure the Egypt Cup that is set to be held this summer,” the EFA spokesman Azmy Megahed told Ahram Online.
All Egyptian football activities have been suspended since 1 February when tens were murdered and hundreds injured after clashes between Ahly and Masry fans in Port Said stadium.
The Egyptian Premier League season was canceled while the home continental competition matches have been held behind closed doors since the massacre, amid fears of similar violence in the country that witness continued unrest since the January 25 revolution that forced former president Hosni Mubarak to step down.
“The association will contact the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to ask them to secure the tournament,” Megahed told Ahram Online.
The SCAF has been running the country since 11 February 2011 and they are supposed to hand power to an elected president next July.
While most of clubs complain about lack of funds, holding Egypt Cup was seen as a desperate attemp by the EFA-appointed board, which succeeded the former board of Samir Zaher who resigned after the Port Said disaster, to save the football industry in the country.
Also, there was a suggestion to hold a friendly tournament but security authorities and some big clubs, like Ahly and Zamalek, rejected the idea.
“We are doing our best to hold a tournament to save the clubs and entertain the fans and we are hoping that the SCAF agree,” Azmy concluded.

ahramonline .