Egypt Violence: Security concerns hamper Olympics event

Oct 12, 2011 – Monday’s violence in Cairo has necessitated calls for the country to withdraw as hosts  –

Security concerns have caused Egypt to cancel plans to host an eight-team tournament to decide Africa’s representatives at next year’s London Olympics.

On Monday, fighting broke out on the streets of Cairo; involving a confusing melee of police, military personnel, and Muslim and Christian protestors.

As fallout of the violence, and in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections on November 28, the Egypt Football Association has been requested to withdraw as hosts.

The eight-team tournament is due to be played from November 26 -December 10, with the top-three finishers going into the men’s football tournament at the London Games and the fourth-placed side playing off against an Asian country for a place at the Olympics.

The teams still in contention are Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa.