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The Egyptian Football Association has suspended one of the country's leading teams over match violence that left at least 74 people dead in February, BBC reported.

Port Said club al-Masry was banned from competitions until the end of 2013 over the clashes at its stadium during a game with Cairo's team al-Ahly.

The ban triggered clashes between al-Masry fans and soldiers, reports say.

Al-Ahly was ordered to play four games behind closed doors. The club's coach and captain were suspended and fined.

Supporters of the Cairo club denounced the football association's punishment as weak, saying they would hold a sit-in in the team's grounds on Sunday.

Last week, Egypt's chief prosecutor charged 75 people with murder or negligence over the 1 February violence.

Nine police officers were reportedly among those facing charges.

Rumours that the police had failed to intervene sparked days of clashes across the country in which a further 16 people died.