Sudanese furious over Egyptian accusations following soccer match

November 19, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government and citizens alike reacted angrily to a media campaign from their northern neighbor accusing them of failing to secure Egyptian soccer fans from assaults by Algerians after the World Cup qualifying match in the capital that took place yesterday.

The Sudanese foreign ministry today summoned the Egyptian ambassador in Khartoum Afifi Abdel-Wahab to protest the messages conveyed on Egyptian TV channels considered to be “unacceptable” and “abusive” against Sudan.

Sudan’s state minister for foreign affairs Ali Karti informed the Egyptian envoy that his government “categorically rejects this approach” adding that Sudan should be appreciated for organizing the event.

The match between Algeria and Egypt was a special situation after both teams equalized in terms of points and goals requiring a decisive match on neutral ground per FIFA rules.

Each team was to pick a venue to host the game. Sudan was the choice of Egyptian football association and officials in Cairo expressed relieve after prevailing over Algeria’s choices citing “historical relations” with their southern neighbor.

However, following the match Egyptian media appeared critical of Sudanese authorities for not keeping the order and protecting their fans from Algerian attacks.

Many Sudanese all over the world contacted Sudan Tribune expressing outcry over what they perceived as “offensive” and “arrogant” language used by Egyptian media “against their country [Sudan]”.

“They [Egyptians] have showed their true colors. They always looked at us as a lower class. They lost the game and now they are trying to throw the blame on Sudan. We were not the ones that scored the goal” one of them said.

The cyber world including discussion boards and social sites such as Facebook was flooded with angry Sudanese bashing Egyptian commentators and talk shows that they say degraded their country image.

The fallout of the growing row prompted announcement that the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak instructed foreign minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit to receive the Sudanese ambassador to Cairo on Friday to thank his government for “efforts made by Sudanese authorities in coordinating and brotherly cooperation with Egyptian agencies to secure the return of our citizens and national team to our homeland”.

The Egyptian intelligence chief Omer Suleiman phoned his Sudanese counterpart Mohamed Atta to express gratitude for measures taken by authorities in Khartoum at the match.

Yesterday Egyptian officials said that they will send special forces to evacuate its soccer fans including those who have not been able to make it to the airport.

(ST)