FIFA has banned Egypt from playing in Cairo for two World Cup qualifiers after fans attacked Algeria's team before a match. The Pharaohs were also fined $88,000 for the incident that occurred in their home World Cup qualifier in November. FIFA ruled on Tuesday that Egypt must stage its first two home matches in qualifying for the 2014 finals at least 100 kilometres from the capital. News agencies reported that FIFA's disciplinary panel had said Egypt's federation failed to ensure the Algeria's delegation safety before the World Cup qualifier last November. Two players were injured by broken glass when fans hurled rocks at Algeria's team bus being driven from the airport. "The FIFA disciplinary committee took this decision after determining that the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) had failed to take all the necessary security precautions to ensure the safety of the Algerian delegation," a FIFA statement read. "The disciplinary committee noted in particular that the Egyptian FA had not adopted the necessary measures to prevent the assault on the bus of the Algerian delegation on the way from the airport to the hotel on 12 November 2009. "It was equally noted that security and order in the stadium were not guaranteed, as an excessive number of spectators were granted access to the stadium and the entrances and stairways were obstructed." The Algerians supported their claims with a video showing that Rafik Halliche and Khaled Lemmouchia suffered head injuries in the attack. The two players still played in Cairo on 14 November with their heads bandaged. Egyptian officials had consistently claimed that the Algerians broke the windows from the inside of the bus. There was even one assertion that the Algerians had purposely injured themselves. In a phone-in to an Egyptian TV talk show on Tuesday night, Samir Zaher, head of the EFA, said he was relatively satisfied with the FIFA sanctions, saying "it could have been worse." There were fears that FIFA would deduct points from Egypt in the 2014 World Cup qualifying stage. FIFA did not deduct points but at the same time did not punish Algeria after its fans reportedly ran amok on the streets of Omdurman after the deciding World Cup qualifier played on 18 November, assaulting Egyptian spectators while brandishing knives. FIFA cited a lack of evidence. "With regard to the play-off match between Algeria and Egypt held in Sudan on 18 November 2009, the FIFA disciplinary committee determined that the conditions for opening disciplinary proceedings had not been met and therefore decided to close this matter," FIFA said in its statement. The Sudanese organising committee had denied that any incidents had occurred before, during or after the game. "There weren't any organisational problems. Everything was in place to make sure everybody is safe," Moatasem Gaafar, the organising committee head, told a news conference in November. "The referee and the match commissioner praised the Sudanese Football Federation's efforts to successfully stage that game." Al-Tayeb Babacar, who was responsible for security, also said they had not detected any Algerian fans holding knives. The World Cup dispute lead to a huge diplomatic row between Egypt and Algeria which healed somewhat after Egypt whitewashed Algeria 4-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations staged in Angola in January.
