FIFA provides Ghana with Egypt match security plans

FIFA has informed Ghanaian authorities about the comprehensive security plans to ensure the safety of the Black Stars for next week’s World Cup qualifier in Egypt.

The world governing body was responding to a request by Ghana’s Minister for Youth & Sports Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah to have the security plans for the match to be played on 19 November in Cairo.


FIFA revealed that a Ghana security delegation sent to Cairo to peruse the plans laid out by the host nation was satisfied with the preparations done by the Egyptians.


“We take this renewed opportunity to confirm FIFA’s captioned qualifying match will be held in Cairo on 19th November, 2013 as per the initial calendar,” FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke wrote in a letter to the GFA and Ministry of Youth & Sports.


“The security plan has been designed in order to ensure total protection for all the delegations (Ghana, Egypt and FIFA) from arrival up to departure.


“Police escorts will permanently cover each and every transfer of these delegations, as well as an ambulance, while the hotels will be totally secured by the deployment of sufficient security guards.

“The training sessions will also be taken care of in the most thorough and comprehensive security approach and delivery. The different security perimeters will filter the ticket-holders who will be searched individually before accessing the inner perimeter.


“The accredited media representatives will also be thoroughly screened as part of the security plan. The latter will be delivered in accordance with the provisions laid down by FIFA’s Stadium Safety and Security Regulations.”


Despite insisting that the match will be played in Cairo, FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke will meet Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah, GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi and other officials from the Ghana Football Association in a meeting in the Togolese capital Lome on Monday morning to discuss the plans for the match.


This comes after the GFA protested over hosting the second-leg match in the volatile Cairo before Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah demanded the comprehensive plans to ensure that the Black Stars will be safe when they play the match in the Egyptian capital.


The Black Stars have a 6-1 advantage going into the second-leg of the match.