Egypt players' theft may have been party gone sour

JOHANNESBURG: Egyptian players involved in the Confederations Cup who claimed money was stolen from their hotel had invited prostitutes to their room who apparently made off with their money, police told local media on Sunday.

South African police declined to confirm the story, but senior police told the Sunday Independent newspaper that there was no sign of forced entry and that the players had been partying with women invited to their rooms.

"They could have come up with the robbery claims to avoid being caught out or embarrassed by their spouses and girlfriends back home in Egypt," an unnamed police official told the paper.