CAIRO (AP) — At least 27 people were injured when stands partially collapsed Saturday during a basketball game in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, health authorities said.
Officials said part of the seats fell on spectators during the Super Cup match between Al-Ahly of Cairo and Ittihad of Alexandria following a scramble in the stands.
The match at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Palace in the 6th of October district of Cairo was called off following the incident, according to local media.
Health ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said in a statement that most of the injured had broken bones. He said they were taken to hospital and their injuries were not life-threatening.
Mohamed Fawzi, spokesman for the Ministry of Sports, told a local TV station that the stands collapsed due to a stampede by Ittihad supporters.
Footage circulating on social media showed a collapsed metal grandstand in the multi-purpose arena, which bears the name of Hassan Moustafa, president of the International Handball Federation. It opened its doors three years ago ahead of the 2021 World Men’s Handball Championship, hosted by Egypt.
Sporting incidents are not uncommon in Egypt.
A 2012 riot in the coastal city of Port Said left more than 70 people dead in one of the world’s worst football-related incidents.
In 2015, 22 fans died in a stampede caused by heavy tear gas fired by police outside a stadium in a Cairo suburb.
The Associated Press
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