FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke stressed that Algeria's place at the 2010 World Cup is not jeopardized. The Desert Foxes secured a berth in the quadrennial competition after beating Egypt 1-0 in a playoff game in Sudan last week. Horrible post-match events saw Algerian knifemen hunt down defenseless Egyptians in the streets of Khartoum. A large number of Egyptian fans were terrorized and injured. Consequently, the Egyptian public has held out hope that the game might be replayed, but Valcke left no doubts that Algeria will represent the Arab in the World Cup. "The game was played and nothing affected its result," he was quoted as saying by the Algerian Football Association's website. "What happened after the game has nothing to do with the result, but we will thoroughly look into the post-match incidents.
Egyptian spectators "In general, FIFA is not responsible for any outbursts outside the stadium after any game." Sudan's Efforts Although the Sudanese authorities were panned for failing to give the Egyptians the proper protection after the game, Valcke is convinced that they did a great job. "We really appreciate Sudan's efforts to host this game in the best possible way," he added. When asked about possible punishments, Valcke said: "It's too early to tell whether the Algerian Football Association or its Egyptian counterpart will be sanctioned. "Our decision will be made based on the match commissioners' reports of both games in Cairo and Khartoum." Recent reports suggested that the world governing body might impose a sanction on the Egyptian FA, after Algerian players were attacked and wounded by Egyptian hooligans ahead of the qualifier in Cairo.
