UPDATED: Egyptian football season faces uncertain future

New Egyptian Premier League season still in doubt, Ahly Ultras vow to block recommencement until justice served for Port Said victims

The Egyptian Premier League season, which was due to start on Wednesday, still faces an uncertain future amid reports suggesting that it would not start on Wednesday as initially planned.
All domestic football activities in Egypt have been suspended since 1 February when more than70 Ahly fans died during clashes with rivals Masry. Nine senior police officers and three Masry officials are among 73 people facing charges in relation to the event. Some of the defendants face murder charges, while the senior officers have been charged with assisting the attackers.
The EFA announced in early September that the league would start on 17 September. However, it was forced to delay it for a month after Ahly's hardcore supporters groups, Ultras Ahlawy and Ultras Devils, gathered in their thousands to oppose the holding of theEgypt Super Cup, which was held behind closed doors at the Military Stadium in Alexandria.##
The fans are organising similar protests on an almost weekly basis at the Ahly club headquarters, the sports ministry and the EFA headquarters, and insisting that they “will not allow the resumption of the Premier League until justice is done and the martyrs receive their rights.”
The Ultras are planning to gather this week at the Police Academy where the trial of the Port Said defendants will be held.
“It's the first defence hearing session. All members should appear at 1pm on Monday,” read a post published on Saturday on the Ultras Ahlawy UA07 Facebook page which has 600,000 fans.
Some Ahly players have issued a statement insisting they “respect the families' feelings and will never stop demanding justice for the martyrs,” adding that they only “took part in the Super Cup to help the club and to win the trophy in memory of the martyrs. That's what we are doing in our bid for the CAF Champions League as well.”
Hundreds of people, including players and coaches, protested early this month in front of the sports ministry to demand the resumption of domestic football activities. Some insisted that it was how “five million Egyptians earn their living.”
Meanwhile, theEFA's newly elected board, under chairman Gamal Allam,had announced earlier that they would insist on starting the season as scheduled.##
“I am aware of the upcoming challenges but the new season will kick off on time,” the former Luxor club president, who was elected EFA chairman on Thursday, told Ahram Sport.
However, board member Mahmoud El-Shamy on Sunday said: “Nothing is ready yet regarding the resumption. No stadiums are ready, no security approval and no broadcast procedures.”
The most important decision now could be for the police because the interior ministry has refused several times to secure football events and it is unlikely to reverse its decision, especially after Friday's clashes in Tahrir Square.
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