Pretoria- FIFA has banned the Egyptian national team from playing its first two home matches, for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifier, at the Cairo International Stadium.
This after the Egyptian team was found guilty by the world football governing body of not providing the necessary security measures when their Algerian counterparts were attacked by Egyptian fans after a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier in November last year.
At the time Algeria beat the Pharaohs 2-nil. After the match, a group of unruly Egyptian fans stoned buses ferrying Algerian fans away from the stadium. Three Algerian players were injured when stones were also hurled at their bus.
The archrivals had to play their play-off match at a neutral venue in Sudan, where Algeria managed to beat Egypt 1-nil to claim their spot at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
On Tuesday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee imposed a ban on the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), stating that the Pharaohs will play its first two matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil qualifier at a location 100 kilometres from Cairo.
In addition, the EFA will have to pay a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs (CHF).
Marcel Mathier who chaired the Disciplinary Committee said FIFA took the decision after determining that the EFA had failed to take all the necessary security precautions to ensure the safety of the Algerian delegation.
"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee noted in particular that the Egyptian FA had not adopted the necessary measures to prevent the assault on the bus of the Algerian delegation on the way from the airport to the hotel on 12 November 2009.
"In addition, the bus windows were smashed and four members of the Algerian delegation, including three players, were injured.
"It was equally noted that security and order in the stadium were not guaranteed, as an excessive number of spectators were granted access to the stadium and the entrances and stairways were obstructed," he said.
Furthermore, at the end of the match, the Algerian bus was detained for over 45 minutes.
With regard to the play-off match in Sudan, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee determined that the conditions for opening disciplinary proceedings had not been met and therefore decided to close this matter.
