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Egyptian soccer shaken by Saudi minister’s alleged meddling

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FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2015 file photo, hardcore soccer fans known as Ultras Ahlawy, light flares and cheer as they mark the third anniversary of some 70 people who were killed in a 2012 soccer riot in Port Said, at Al -Ahly Sporting Club in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt’s close relations with Saudi Arabia are being tested by a soccer spat sparked by an uproar over meddling by the kingdom’s sports minster, Turki al-Sheikh. The ongoing upheaval is destabilizing soccer in Egypt as it tries to shake off memories of the national team’s group-stage exist at the World Cup in June and the deaths of nearly 100 fans this decade. (AP Photo/Mohammed El Raai, File)

CAIRO – Egypt’s close relations with Saudi Arabia are being tested by an uproar over alleged soccer meddling by the kingdom’s sports minster.

Turki al-Sheikh’s attempts over the last year to exert control over Al-Ahly, Egypt’s biggest team, have enraged fans and officials alike. The acrimonious fallout led al-Sheikh to purchase a rival club in a bid to challenge Al-Ahly’s supremacy, but as anger mounted he recently withdrew his investment, leaving the future of the top-tier team in doubt.

The two governments have yet to publicly comment on al-Sheikh’s intrusion into Egyptian soccer. Saudi Arabia is one of Egypt’s chief economic backers and both nations are taking part in a boycott against 2022 World Cup host nation Qatar.

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Abbey Westbury

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