CAIRO: Telecom Egypt boss Hossam Hassan believes that FIFA will act against the relegation of any team in the Egyptian Premier League this season because of the illegitimate number of petroleum clubs.
Hassan, whose side are serious favorites for relegation alongside Tersana and Olympic, is adamant that the Egyptian Football Association won t be able to let teams down when the season closes.
The Egypt legend claims that the presence of petroleum-sector trio Petrojet, ENPPI and Asyut Petroleum is against the regulations of FIFA.
I assure everyone that Telecom will not go down this season, as well as any other team in the league, because the FA can t let this happen, Hassan said in Al-Hayat TV after his team s 2-2 draw with Gaish.
FIFA prohibit the presence of more than two teams from one sector, and we currently have three petroleum clubs.
Bottom clubs will simply file a complaint to FIFA at the end of the season, and the FA will be in danger of being sacked or having the league banned.
Even though Hassan s comments are news to the football media in Egypt, the FA were recently considering an alteration in the league system starting next season.
It is believed that the Egyptian football governing body is planning to extend the league s participants from 16 to 20 teams.
