A military tribunal released 226 supporters of Zamalek on Tuesday after six months behind bars. They were arrested in July and placed in pre-trial detention for destruction of property and disturbances of public order.
Chaos broke out following the elimination of Zamalek from the CAF Champions League, with several supporters of the White Knights involved in acts of vandalism at the Borg al Arab military stadium in Alexandria, according to a detailed report from the Egyptian interior ministry.
However, the tribunal said it decided to close the case due to lack of sufficient evidence.
The verdict comes at a time when the country’s authorities are considering the return of supporters to attend games of the local topflight following a 2012 stadium ban imposed after the death of 72 fans during a match between Al Ahly and Al Masry.
“I think it is an appeasing decision. It would help to ease the tension in the domestic league which has been operating in unhealthy conditions for up to five years now because clubs have been playing at empty stadiums, without their supporters,” Hady Elmadany, news editor of Benha-based media Yallakora, told ACLsports.
“Secondly, World Cup is approaching and Egypt will be participating, and so it would help to prepare local supporters ahead of the event in Russia.”
The Pharaohs are returning to the world stage 27 years after their last appearance in Italy where they crashed out in the group stage.
