Half-time: Fright night
By
Inas Mazhar
I was sitting next to Farayi Mungazi, a senior BBC radio producer, at the media site of Ismailia stadium on Friday night when fighting suddenly broke out in the stands. Mungazi was at the time on air reporting the final of the African Champions league between Ismaili of Egypt and Enyimba of Nigeria to the African services.
Play had stopped, I can't remember the reason, but it was certainly because the referee -- isn't it always -- had ruled on something which the fans didn't take to kindly to. Mungazi was still describing the ugly scenes that had broken out in the third class stands, the place where fighting usually erupts because only the most rabid fans are found there. But never in my life and throughout my 12 years of journalistic experience in Egypt and abroad did I see fighting where media people are seated.
While Mungazi described the scene, we were hit by water bottles; I was also struck by a chair. As any woman would do in such circumstances I screamed. The spectators sitting at a lower level began running upwards, towards us, to escape the fighting below. They trampled over us since the gates were closed. That made me scream even more. I was on the ground, still screaming, while Mungazi was still on air, broadcasting that it was me who was screaming and who had been hit. What a way to become famous.
My male colleagues -- I have become used to being one of the few female journalists in Egypt's football stands -- helped me to my feet and we found shelter by standing close to the wall. The police were staring down at us but doing nothing. Soldiers were using their shields to protect themselves.
Mungazi had disappeared, leaving his equipment on the ground. I looked for his satellite dish which had taken us almost six hours to erect. It, too, was gone. Now I was looking for both, but I also had to look upwards to see if any dangerous objects were still being thrown down on the field.
I continued screaming, hysterically this time, for good reason. The hooligans were now about to throw a huge advertisement billboard made of aluminum on the field. I guessed it at about 2x10 metres. If it hit us, it would kill, not just injure or maim.
Security and officials as well as soldiers on the pitch were all watching but no-one moved. Some people succeeded in climbing to the main tribune. My colleagues could have escaped as well, but they didn't leave me. My legs could no longer carry me and I almost fell when my colleagues, to whom I owe a lot, carried me quickly to the corner and from there we all watched as the huge billboard crashed down inches away from us.
For some time we remained in our place until the police cleared the site. The gates were open and we started moving. But where was Mungazi? His mobile was out of service. I'll look for him later, I said to myself. First, I have to collect his and my equipment. But where was the dish? After some minutes of frantic searching, I found it on the ground, broken to pieces. Hooligans probably used it as a weapon. I was shocked. Mungazi had told me it cost thousands of dollars. At least I saved the rest of his stuff, but where was he?
We started leaving the stands, and there he was, on the field. Mungazi was from Zimbabwe but being black, could easily have passed for a Nigerian that particular day. When the violence began, he had been warned by an onlooker that some spectators, believing him to be a Nigerian reporter, were ready to attack. He was advised to leave the stands and go to the field with the Nigerian players because they were surrounded by police.
It took us almost two hours to leave the stadium. We reached the hotel safely but because of unsafe streets, an official from the stadium, provided by the governor, escorted us.
Ismaili supporters damaged not just their property but their reputation as well and injured innocent people who just came to watch them play. They also hurt Egypt's bid to the 2010 World Cup. Being angry and frustrated because you lost, or because of the referee or because the opponents used unsportsmanlike tactics is no excuse to go on a rampage. The result is that Ismailia is the big loser and not just on the field. Damaged property can be fixed and the cup won in following years. But what about 2010?
