Algerian referees escaped death in Cairo stadium
The three Algerian referees that led the match opposing the Egyptian club Ezamalek to the Club Africain of Tunisia as part of the return mach counting for the second round of the African Champions League, lived hell after the storming of the pitch by hysteric fans.
- The game was stopped in the dead time because of the invasion of the pitch which has been turned to a battle ground, where the angry fans have used clubs and melee weapons.
- The Algerian referees was under relentless pressure all along the match and were intimated by the technical staff of the Egyptian club, the twin brothers Hossam and Ibrahim, who raised doubts over the designation of those referees for this match.
- The main referee Mohammed Bichari and his two assistants Ben Aarouss and Meknouss as well as Houassnia were the first target of the hooligans that stormed the pitch. The events were so intense that they were forced to run for their lives.
- One of them put on fire-fighters uniform to go unnoticed while another hide under a table used by a Tunisian commentator, Echourouk sources have revealed.
- Faithful to his bad habits, Hossam Hassen was the main troublemaker especially after the refusal of the third goal scored by Chikaballa through free kick on account of an offside position. At this moment Ezamalek coach moved towards the linesman Ben Aarous and started intimidating him.
- But he soon tempered his mind after noticing that most of the players were offside thanks to the the replay sequence.
- The situation went out of control and the security forces inside the stadium were completely overwhelmed by the events, requiring the intervention of the military forces backed by tanks and armoured vehicles in order to spare the lives of the Tunisian players and the Algerian referees.
- Echourok moved yesterday to Algiers international airport to get the first impressions of the Algerian referees upon their arrival, but they declined to give any commentary because they are bound by the duty of discretion stipulated in the law.