Egyptian Premier League set to resume despite violence

Matches are being played in military-owned stadiums to ensure fan safety The Egyptian football league, which has been suspended since last year's Port Said disaster, will go ahead on Saturday as planned despite the violence that has plagued Egypt. The Interior Ministry, which is busy trying to combat riots and protests in several governorates including Cairo, declined to respond to a letter from the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) over whether the new league season will be played.
However, Egypt's Defence Ministry assured the EFA that the competition will start on time. All the games will take place at military-owned stadiums, which meet the new safety standards set by the public prosecution in the wake of the Port Said tragedy.
"The [defence] ministry agreed that the first half of the league season will be played at military stadiums according to dates set previously," a statement from the ministry said. "The matches that were due to be played in Suez will be moved to another venue, given the current circumstances in the Suez Canal cities," it added.
A verdict sentencing 21 football fans to death for their role in the Port Said disaster, which left over 70 Ahly supporters dead, has sparked a wave of unrest in the coastal city.
The ensuing clashes killed more than 40 as angry protesters, who felt the government made Port Said residents scapegoats for Egypt’s worst-ever football tragedy, retaliated by going on the rampage.
The Interior Ministry had recently given the EFA permission to resume the league competition, but the latest wave of violence cast doubts over whether it would be able to secure the matches at a time when it is struggling to contain the rage.