Egyptian local police is still unwilling to secure domestic football matches, according to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim. Domestic competitions have been halted since the February Port-Said disaster, with Ahli, Zamalek and ENPPI forced to play continental matches behind closed doors. While the future of the game in Egypt remains under scrutiny, minister Ibrahim set the record straight that it has yet to become safe to resume domestic football. “Police will only secure international games for clubs and country,” he told reporters on Monday. “We will not secure local matches unless minimum security conditions are being met. The last time we checked, there was nothing achieved from these conditions. “We only decided to take control over continental games when we learnt that clubs could be sanctioned by CAF if their respective matches were not secured.” The Egypt first team are braced for a crucial 2014 World Cup qualifier against Mozambique on June 1, a fixture that will take place at the Army Stadium in Alexandria. One month later, a huge game will be held in Cairo as city rivals Ahli and Zamalek lock horns in the CAF Champions League group stage. Both matches are likely to be staged behind closed doors.
