CAIRO: The Tunisia national football team as requested from the African Cup of Nations organizers to wear black armbands when they face off in the quarterfinals in solidarity with Egypt after 75 people were killed in stadium violence in Port Said this week. Speaking to reporters in Gabon on Friday, Tunisia's Football Federation President Anwar Haddad said his organization has asked permission from the CAN for the armbands ahead of its match with Ghana on Sunday. It was a sign of Tunisia's “brotherly” ties with Egypt, Haddad said in comments carried by Egypt's al-Ahram newspaper. Tunisia, the last remaining North African team in the tournament, is requesting the bands as a show of solidarity with Egypt, the three-time defending champions of the African continental tournament. Egypt failed to qualify for this year's edition. “I want to say something. For us, Egypt and Tunisia are two brotherly countries,” Haddad said at Tunisia's team base in Bongoville, near Franceville, in Gabon. “We had the same difficulties but unfortunately what has happened the day before yesterday with the victims, the 74 victims that have died, it is not normal. “We Tunisians have solidarity with the Egyptian people. We ask CAF to allow us to play with the black armbands against Ghana as a sign of respect for the people who died.” Since the violence in Port Said, Egyptians, and massive numbers of football fans, have taken to the streets in Cairo and Suez, battling police and tear gas in angry demonstrations against security and the military junta. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/M9V20 Tags: CAN, Football, Port Said, Solidarity Section: Egypt, Football, Latest News, Tunisia
