Zamalek must play behind closed doors
Reuters - Wednesday 20 April 2011, 16:21
JOHANNESBURG - Former continental
champions Zamalek have been ordered to play their next two
African club competition matches behind closed doors after a
crowd invasion in a Champions League match this month.
The Confederation of African Football's disciplinary
committee also fined the club $80,000 and handed them a
suspended one-year ban.
Nine people were injured when hundreds of Zamalek fans
invaded the pitch near the end of their second round, second leg
match against Club Africain of Tunisia in Cairo.
Zamalek were leading 2-1 when the Algerian referee
disallowed a headed effort for offside. Had the goal stood it
would have ensured the Egyptians progressed to the next round on
the away goals rule.
The decision sparked the invasion in which match officials
were threatened and several Tunisian players were struck by fans
wielding iron rods and sticks.
Egyptian authorities moved quickly to apologise for the
incident at one of the first football matches allowed by
authorities after street protests toppled president Hosni
Mubarak.
Nigerian club Enyimba, also former Champions League winners,
were fined $20,000 by CAF and given a final warning for
persistent crowd invasions at their ground in Aba.