Brong Ahafo Middle league Suspended

Sunyani (B/A) March 16 GNA - The Brong Ahafo Second Division Middle league soccer competition has been suspended following crowd violence at the Coronation Park in Sunyani.

The decision to suspend the league was arrived at an emergency meeting attended by the Regional Football Association (RFA), representatives of all the eight participating clubs and the Regional Branch of the Referees Association of Ghana (RAG) on Sunday.

The final matches of the four-day competition are to be re-scheduled to be played on Sunday.

Crowd violence occurred during a league match between Aduana Stars of Dormaa Ahenkro and Nsoatreman Football club last Saturday that ended abruptly when the Nsoatreman boys refused to allow a penalty awarded against them to be taken and that sparked off the confusion at the Park.

Policemen on duty had to fire repeated warning shots in to the air to control the situation as the supporters hurled stones and other missiles aiming at the match officials.

The titanic encounter between the two sides was heading to a barren drawn game when referee Yaw Ameterpey awarded a penalty against Nsoatreman's Clement Dartey for using his hand to stop a goal-bound shot from an attacker of Aduana Stars.

The Nsoatreman boys' contention however, was that the Aduana player was in an offside position before firing the shot but referee Ameterpey stuck to his decision.

Play from then on was halted as unidentified supporters hurled stones, bagged water and other missiles at the match officials. The situation became so tense that the few policemen on duty had to fire warning shots to pave the way to shepherd the officials to safety.

Earlier on Saturday, Bechem United drew 2-2 with Atebubu AFA F/C while Multi-Choice of Goaso walloped Tuobodom Red Lions 8-1 and Berekum Semereka playing a goalless drawn game with Goaso Nananom F/C. Last Saturday's incident was the second since the competition began.

It would be recalled that last week Aduana Stars and Multi-Choice recorded another violent incident after their match had ended one all.

Players of the two sides engaged in a free-for-all fight just after referee Tanko Anyomi had whistled for the end of proceedings. Mr Godfred Asante, Chairman of Multi-Choice was brutally assaulted in the incident and was rushed to the Government Hospital in Sunyani where he was treated and discharged.

A spokesman of the RFA told the GNA Sports on Sunday that referee Ameterpey had submitted his report on the Aduana/Nsoatreman match and the Disciplinary Committee would soon meet to decide on the next line of action.

He said it is when the Committee has come out with its report that the competition can resume, he added.