Zamalek’s new boss Jesualdo Ferreira will reportedly to stay in Egypt despite the country’s Air Defence stadium football disaster on Sunday.
According to the health ministry, 19 people died after clashes occurred between the police and Zamalek supporters before a league match with ENPPI.
Ex-Porto manager Ferreira attended the match against ENPPI and was due to start his reign following the game. He said he knew nothing about the incident until he returned to the hotel where he is staying.
“I was on the bench, I saw nothing,” the Portuguese coach was quoted as saying by Portuguese website Record on Monday.
The website said that the incidents “were seriously a tragedy”, but that Ferreira is not considering leaving the country now.
Police claim they died due to a stampede, while the Zamalek Ultras White Knights said a criminal plot was pre-planned, blaming new security procedures that included a ‘metal cage’ at the stadium gates.
Investigations are still ongoing.
The match was open to the public, unlike most other games between Egyptian clubs since stadium riots in Port Said in 2012 left 72 people dead in the country’s worst-ever sport disaster.
Source : Ahram online
