Division One Referee Attacked by Fans in Sunyani [Video Inside]
Confusion rocked the Division One Zone One League match between B/A United and Real Tamale United (RTU) at the Sunyani Coronation Park on Sunday.
The confusion erupted after a clash between supporters of both clubs following a penalty awarded by referee Maxwell Henson to RTU in the first-half of the game.
The fans of the B/A United who were unhappy with the referee’s decision stormed the field, chased and beat him up before security personal could rescue him.
After the ordeal he went through, the referee decided not to continue with the match but officials intervened and he changed his decision.
When the march resumed after an hour, referee Henson decided to reverse his penalty decision in favour of RTU.
This decision did not go down well with the supporters of the RTU, who started throwing offensive weapons such as stones, sticks and metal objects towards the direction of the B/A United supporters.
The supporters of B/A United mobilised similar weapons and retaliated the action of supporters of the visiting team.
Traders and other onlookers who were around the premises took to their heels as stones and sticks flew in the sky.
The police and military personal deployed to ensure law and order had to fire several warning shots before they were able to escort the RTU players and supporters out of the stadium.
Several shops, including vehicles parked around the park were destroyed. Some vehicles had their windshields smashed.
The supporters of the B/A United later chased and beat up wheel barrow and truck pushers in the Central Business District of Sunyani.
They accused them of teaming up with supporters of RTU by mobilising the offensive weapons to attack them.
Some of the supporters of the B/A United told Graphic Online that, they disagreed with the referee’s penalty decision.
According to them, their team had three different penalties, but the referee denied them and could not understand why he awarded a “fake” penalty to the visiting team.
Meanwhile, the match has been postponed to Monday, July 5, 2020 at 10:00am at the same venue.
Source: Graphic