Sports violence

A soccer game turned into a bloodbath Wednesday in Egypt when a melee broke out after the home team upset the visitors.

Al-Masry, the home team in the Mediterranean port city of Port Said, bested Cairo-based Al-Ahly, one of Egypt’s most popular teams.

Fans rushed out on the field after the game and fights broke out. When it was all over, 74 people lay dead and 40 were in serious conditions requiring surgery. Most of the deaths were from concussions, head wounds and suffocation from the stampede.

Where were the police and security?

It turns out that they mainly stood by as the melee unfolded, according to reports and witnesses. Soccer fans charged, brandishing sharp objects and hurling sticks and rocks.

There were hundreds of police with helmets and shields, but they did very little to break up the brawls, according to witnesses.

Sharif Ikrami, goalkeeper for Al-Ahly, said that the dead and wounded were carried into the locker room. “There were people dying in front of us,” he said. It’s over. We’ve all made a decision that we won’t play soccer anymore. How will we play soccer after 70 people died?”

The problem is not soccer, but hooliganism and lax security. Security officials said they were instructed not to “engage” with civilians after 40 people were killed in November clashes between police and protesters. Poor excuse. Whether it’s Egypt or Britain or Italy, security should be ready to control crowds at athletic events.