Algerian former football player Belloumi pins hope on Presidents Bouteflika-Moubarek encounter to be cleared

The so-called Belloumi affair has again cropped up largely in the Egyptian press lately with repeated calls on the former international player of the Algeria line-up to present formal apologies to an Egyptian doctor who lost an eye during a brawl between some Algerian players and overzealous Egyptian supporters in Cairo on November 17, 1989.

Belloumi, who is accused of being responsible for this serious injury, has always claimed his innocence stressing that the charges levelled against him are unjust and groundless.

In a statement to Echorouk newspaper, Belloumi underlined that he had no apology to make since he is innocent of any wrongdoing.

He further expressed the hope that the Cairo meeting between President Bouteflika and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Moubarek could also be an opportunity to settle this sad and long-running affair once and for all.