Egyptian fans were allowed to attend a Premier League match for the first time in three years on Wednesday after a lengthy crowd ban was lifted as Ittihad of Alexandria played out a 0-0 draw at home to Gouna. The supporters were banned from attending any league match since the infamous Port Said disaster, when over 70 Ahly fans were killed after they were attacked by rival Masry fans following the end of an ill-tempered game on 1 February, 2012. All league matches have been played behind closed doors since then, with the fans occasionally allowed back to the stands in continental matches for Ahly and Zamalek and competitive clashes for Egypt's national team. However, there are restrictions on the number of fans each hosting team is allowed to have. The matches involving the so-called popular outfits, a term used by local media to describe teams with significant fan bases, will still be played behind closed doors. There have been frequent clashes between the hardcore fans of Cairo's Ahly and Zamalek and the security forces before and after the continental matches in which they were allowed to attend, prompting Egyptian authorities to mull extending the crowd ban. However, the behavior of Ahly's Ultras Ahlawy group during the CAF Confederation Cup final at home to Ivory Coast's Sewe Sport last year was hailed by local media as "exemplary", with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi lavishing praise on them in a rare reconciliatory gesture. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/122216.aspx
