Defense Ministry agrees to host football matches in army stadiums

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Defense Ministry agrees to host football matches in army stadiums

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Thu, 27/12/2012 - 21:05

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Egypt’s national football team goalkeepers Essam Al-Hadari (far left), and Abdel-Wahed Al-Sayed (second to the left), during the second day of the team’s intensive training session in preparation to play against Niger’s national team, Niamey, 9 October, 2010. Egypt’s National Team is in Niamey to play against Niger's national team, during the second round of the preliminaries of the African Cup of Nations. Al-Hadari suffered a minor hand injury during the first day of training.

Fouad Elgarnousy

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DPA

The Defense Ministry has agreed to host football league matches in the Armed Forces’ stadiums as of Sunday.

Azmi Megahed, director of the Egyptian Football Federation’s Media Center, told the German news agency DPA about the ministry's decision on Thursday.

The ministry had initially declined the federation’s request to host the matches.

The league stopped all activities in February following violence that broke out during a match between Al-Ahly and Al-Masry in Port Said Stadium, where 74 Al-Ahly fans were killed.

Seventy defendants are on trial in the Port Said Stadium case. A court is due to issue a verdict on 26 January.

The league’s activities have been halted several times since the clashes. The Interior Ministry initially said it could not secure the matches, and Al-Ahly fans objected to the resumption of play before justice was attained for those were killed in the incident.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm