Across the world, soccer occupies a sacred space that stirs up feverish nationalism and ardent fidelity to a team.  Team loyalties often mirror a nation’s social and political fault lines.  Egypt’s February 2 soccer game-turned-massacre, therefore, was the SCAF’s sinister manipulation of the sport to attack the revolutionary youth and terrify Egyptians into supporting their continued rule. 

Egypt’s soccer landscape is demarcated by entrenched allegiances that reflect citizens’ socioeconomic status or ideological position.  Egypt’s Al-Ahly side, a national powerhouse, is supported by millions of urban dwellers in Cairo.  In contrast, Al-Masry’s following is largely comprised of indigent or working class citizens living in the Sinai.  Egyptian soccer has always been a proxy for class struggle, which has been exacerbated in the face of increasing economic inequities.  In the post-revolution economic downturn, the inequities are deteriorating rapidly. 

The SCAF understands the politicization of soccer in Egypt all too well.  On February 2, the SCAF took a queue straight from the playbook of former president Hosni Mubarak.  During the tense World Cup 2012 qualifiers, Mubarak’s regime stirred up hyper-nationalist sentiment against Algeria to incite rioting during the final tilt in Khartoum.  It has long been suspected that Mubarak and his regime orchestrated the riots to distract Egyptians from domestic problems, provoke nationalism, and in turn, solidify his power.  As all members of SCAF were key leaders in the Mubarak regime, they understand all too well that the appearance of chaos after a nationally watched match could play in their favor. 

To read the complete article please visit:www.acus.org/egyptsource/soccer-egypt-and-scaf-sponsored-hooliganism

Sahar Aziz and Khaled Beydoun, EARLA Board Members