Most of the teams have already played three matches since the start of the domestic competition on 24 December. So far, matches have been played behind closed doors for security reasons and the games were reported to be incident-free. However, it seems that not everybody is happy. Earlier this week, Zamalek's diehard supporters, the White Knights announced via their social media accounts that they would no longer tolerate being banned from attending their team's matches. They sent clear messages they would invade the stadiums where their team is playing to declare that they reject being left behind closed doors. They have gone as far as to warn security forces of suspension or cancellation of the entire campaign if they insist on having the games played without fans. In their Facebook page the White Knights statement said: “We keep whispering and wondering when will we return to the stands. When will we regain our natural position and hear the echo of our freedom and dignity? When will we go to the stands donning our white shirts and singing for our beloved team? When will our stand stop weeping and regain its charm? “When the most noisy and enthusiastic place in the world -- third stand right -- turned into a graveyard where our supporting history is buried, how could this be called football? What football are you talking about here? “We are fed up with this silence and bored with being separated from our team. The spirit of the Knight will not survive except within its fortress and kingdom and nothing will prevent us from coming back. The silence and separation barriers are over. It's time we regain our sad stands. The return of the fans to the stands is not a donation or demand but a legitimate right of all football fans and lovers.” The statement has worried the Zamalek club's officials who have approached the leaders of the group and tried to reason with them explaining that the security situation is shaky these days and that the point of banning them is for their safety in the first place. They also asked them to wait until after the referendum on the Egyptian constitution later this month before taking any decisions. Most league games and national team matches in Egypt have been played without fans following the soccer riot of two years ago in Port Said which killed 72 spectators. The third week of the national competition saw Ahli securing its top position of group one with six points from two games after beating Semouha 2-0. Ismailia on the other hand topped group two after upsetting Zamalek 1-0. Ismaili have nine points from three straight wins. Other winners in the third week included Enppi beating Mehalla 3-1 and Petrojet scoring its first win this season by defeating Minya 3-0. The week was characterised by scoreless draws as four games all ended without goals, including Masri and Wadi Degla, Haras Al-Hedoud and Qanah, BeniSuef Phones and Al-Geish and Dakhla and Al-Gouna. Despite its impressive win, Ahli was shown a yellow card off the pitch. The club is challenging the Cairo Governorate concerning its premises. The governorate has asked Ahli to pay LE17 million for renting of the land it had rented more than 100 years ago in Gezira. According to the governorate, Ahli has rented the land for one pound per metre per year and has not paid since. They have asked the club several times for the payment to no avail until the figure reached LE17 million. The governorate is threatening the club to either pay or it will block the club's bank accounts in favour of the payment. Ahli club board of director Khaled Al-Darandali explained that there was a misunderstanding regarding the land. He said the land was rented but at the same time was given to the club. “This is what we are trying to clear up. We respect the law but we have a legal committee which is now negotiating with the government to reach a compromise to this problem.” In another development, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and the Egyptian Radio Television Union (ERTU) have signed a contract in which the ERTU bought the broadcasting rights of the Egyptian national league competition. The deal was worth LE70 million. This means that Egyptians across the world will be able to watch the games live on all ERTU channels including the local and regional channels as well as the satellite channels like Al-Massriya and Nile Sport. The ERTU can sell these rights to any other channel but it remains the only owner of the broadcasting signal. The deal, the first of its kind, especially in terms of the figure, is expected to generate huge revenues to the Egyptian football clubs and Egyptian TV.
