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ZAMALEK BOYCOTT AFRICAN SUPER CUP

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Egyptian club Zamalek has confirmed it will not travel to Qatar to play Champions League holders Esperance of Tunisia in February’s African Super Cup.

The annual match brings together the winners of the African Champions League and the Confederation Cup.

Zamalek president Mortada Mansour has re-iterated his club’s stance on travelling to play in Qatar.

“We are two African teams, why should we play in Asia?” he questioned at a press conference on Tuesday.

“I don’t understand why Caf (Confederation of African Football) wants to play the Super Cup in a country who is an enemy to Egypt.

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“Zamalek board members discussed the issue and decided not to play in Qatar. I am disappointed that Esperance have agreed to play there.”

The boycott of Egypt is hinged on political reasons. Egypt was one of the middle eastern nations that severed diplomatic ties with Qatar two years ago.

Mortada added that the club would change its stance if ordered to do so by the Egyptian government.

“At the end of the day it is up to the Egyptian authorities if they want to reverse the decision and if they have another opinion we will respect that,” he added.

Last year CAD decided that the Super Cup would be played in Qatar until 2021, rather than the tradition of the Champions League winners hosting the match.

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Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, the Confederation Cup holders, beat Esperance in last year’s match in Qatar.  

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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