All Egyptian football documents were completely burned and the national team's trophies stolen, Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Chief Executive Sarwat Swelam reveals Saturday.
Hundreds of hardcore Ahly fans, Ultras Ahlawy are reported to have torched EFA headquarters in an angry reaction to the verdict issued Saturday on the deadly Port Said football match.
"The situation is very difficult. The EFA headquarter was totally burned and president Gamal Alaam will return from abroad to attend today's urgent meeting," Swelam told state news agency MENA.
"Large numbers of Ultras Ahlawy burned all the documents and papers and also stole all the cups. The history of Egyptian football is now lost and cannot be recovered," he adds.
On Saturday, Egypt’s court first confirmed the death sentences for 21 defendants that were originally announced on 26 January and were pending approval by the Grand Mufti, but who has yet to respond. The defendants were charged for their role in killing 72 Ahly fans during an Ahly v Masry match in the Port Said stadium on 1 February 2012.
Five defendants received life sentences.Two policemen were convicted; former Port Said security director Essam Samak and the head of the Port Said water bodies security department, Mohamed Saad, both received 15 year sentences. Eight other defendants received 15 year sentences.Six defendants received 10 year sentences.Two defendants received 5 year sentences. One defendant received a one year sentence. The rest were acquitted.
Among the 28 defendants who were acquitted were the seven other police officers. They include the former head of Port Said police investigation department Mostafa Razaz, former head of the Central Security Forces in the Suez Canal area Abdel-Aziz Sami, and former head of Port Said national security directorate Bahy El-Din Zaghloul. The other four police officers were all aides of these senior officials.
Also acquitted are the only two officials from Port Said’s Masry club who were charged, Major General Mohsen Sheta who was executive director of Masry club at the time of the events, and former head of security at the club Mohamed El-Desouki.
The Ultras are angry that only two of the police officers were convicted while seven were acquitted in the case.
