Egyptian footballers unite

Ahly director Abdel-Hafiz has backed project Cairo - Hossam Al Said Several Egyptian footballers have donated their blood to aid the recovery of those injured in the recent protests across Egypt. Ayman Younis, a representative of Zamalek, called on sporting role models to give blood and renounce fanaticism in football stadiums. He said there is a need to reflect the positive image of sports in Egypt. A large number of Egyptian athletes and sporting figures answered Younis' call, including Khaled Bebo, Sayed Abdel-Hafiz, Hisham Yakan, Magdy Abdel-Ghany, and Khaled Bayoumi. On Tuesday morning, ambulances arrived at Zamalek and al-Ahly training grounds to receive blood donations. Ahly football director Abdel-Hafiz said he was delighted to be part of the initiative, adding that the club wanted to help victims of the recent Port Said riots. He said that the sensitivity of the relations between Ahly and al-Masry fans did not influence the club's decision to support the project. A number of Egyptian players also backed calls to renounce fanaticism in football stadiums, in light of the recent death sentence handed down by an Egyptian court to 23 defendants in the Port Said stadium disaster case. On Monday, Egyptian Football Federation approved ten articles to eradicate fanaticism from football stadiums.