Prosecutors summon suspended Zamalek club player as witness to stadium violence

Wednesday 11-02-2015 09:39 PM
Prosecutors summon suspended Zamalek club player as witness to stadium violence

Soccer fans argue with security personnel as they attempt to enter a stadium before a scuffle broke out, on the outskirts of Cairo February 8, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

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CAIRO, Feb 11 (Aswat Masriya) – The East Cairo Prosecution decided on Wednesday to summon Zamalek football club player Omar Gaber to hear his witness account on the deadly encounter that took place outside a Cairo football stadium on Sunday.

The deadly incident broke out ahead of a game between Zamalek and Enppi clubs and left at least 19 people dead, according to figures by the East Cairo Prosecution.

The game was pushed back 40 minutes but was played despite the incident. Gaber, however, refused to take part in it.

He was indefinitely suspended by the club's administration following this decision.  

The prosecution has identified several other eyewitnesses and is set to summon them as well.  

According to the ministry of interior, large numbers of Zamalek fans attempted to storm the stadium.

However, "Ultras White Knights" group, which supports the Zamalek Sporting Club, said on its Facebook page that the police "initiated firing teargas towards fans" outside the stadium.

A preliminary medical report by the Forensic Authority suggested on Monday that the 19 people were killed in a stampede, denying that any of the deaths were caused by live ammunition, birdshot or suffocation from teargas.

On Tuesday night, 18 people arrested outside the stadium were released on a 200-pound bail each, while three people remained in custody and their detention was extended for 15 days. 

The Egyptian Football Association announced the indefinite suspension of all football activity the day after the deadly incident.  

This was the first Egyptian Premier League game for Zamalek where fans were allowed to attend, since February 2012 when over 70 football fans were killed inside a stadium in Port Said.

Football games were held in the absence of fans since.

A trial involving 73 defendants accused of involvement in the violence in Port Said is currently underway.  

In December 2014, the Interior Ministry said it will allow football fans to attend the second leg games of the Egyptian Premier League, but with a maximum of 10,000 fans in games played in Cairo and Alexandria.      

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