Egypt FA Will Not Apologise To Algeria For World Cup Qualifying Incidents

The Egyptian FA chairman Samir Zaher has said that the federation has no intentions to apologise to Algeria for failing to prevent their team's bus from being stoned ahead of the controversial World Cup qualifier back in November.

Two Algerian players sustained facial injuries after some Egyptian fans hurled projectiles at their bus before a meeting between the North African rivals at Cairo Stadium on November 14 last year.

Egypt defeated Algeria 2-0 to force a playoff in Sudan four days later for a place at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Some unfortunate incidents were to follow, with Egyptian fans accusing Algerian supporters of assaulting them after the game which Algeria won 1-0 to reach the football's most prestigious event.

"I rejected the idea of apologising to Algeria," Zaher told FilGoal.com.

 "The Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam is mediating in the dispute but (Algerian Football Federation president) Mohammed Raouraoua insists that we should apologise to them.

"We can apologise in only one case, if Raouraoua also apologised for what happened in Sudan after the playoff game."

Local reports said African champions Egypt are likely to be sanctioned and suggested that FIFA might impose points deduction on the Pharaohs in the next World Cup qualifiers.

But Zaher said that nothing is clear with regards to FIFA's decisions.

"No one knows what FIFA will do next. However, we asked them to take the Sudan incidents into consideration, and I know that they will do," he added.

"We can eventually reach a compromise with Algeria without any kind of apologies."

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