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Algeria coach: Egypt sanctions inadequate

Egypt were fined 100,000 Swiss francs for incidents before and after their match at home to the Algerians on November 14. They were ordered to play their first two matches in the 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament at least 100 kms outside Cairo.

Saadane, whose team are training in Switzerland ahead of the 2010 World Cup, told Reuters the punishment was not adequate considering the degree of violence his team had suffered.

"Sincerely, we have to respect it because it's FIFA's decision, I'm not sure it really reflects what we went through and the damage to the bus for example," he said in an interview before a training session.

"Certainly it's not satisfactory, but now that we're in the World Cup, it's over, it doesn't matter."

Egypt then threatened to pull out of the following year's African Nations Cup in Algeria. They eventually sent a B team and lost all three group games.

"I think it's up to the Egyptian political leaders," he said. "They're the ones who have created all this controversy, I think they should make an effort, to apologise to Algeria."

"Football is there to bring people together, not war. I think that through football we can reconciliate, maybe it's just a question of time."

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