Sharks-Medeama clash: Nduom denies attack on referee

Bankroller of Elmina Sharks, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has denied media reports suggesting that supporters of his club Elmina Sharks attacked referee Yakubu Nuhu Liman at the Nduom Sports Complex in Elmina.

He wrote on his official Facebook timeline that the media houses filling the reports to suggest Elmina Sharks supporters attacked the referee were not present at the stadium and that the issues were misrepresented in the reports that emerged after the match.

Clarifying why the referee was injured in the post, Dr Nduom wrote “It appears that as he (referee) was being escorted off the field by the police during half time, he tripped, fell and injured himself. As there were police personnel around plus video recording, the truth will be found soon enough.”

He, however, admitted that a situation which got out of hand during the match required that the referee be escorted off the field during half time.

“A fight broke out between some Sharks and Medeama players getting to the end of the first half. The match was getting out of hand. So this is what led to the referee being escorted off the field at half time,” he wrote further,” he explained.

“Did Elmina/home team supporters pounce on the referee and beat him badly enough for him to sustain injuries? No. Nobody laid a finger on the referee” he wrote further.

He indicated that Medeama SC refused to play the second half of the match because it delayed in starting but the referees were on the field ready to officiate the second half.

He wrote that he is always involved whenever he is present at the stadium that his supporters do not misbehave. “I went to the Medeama locker room, talked to the match officials and the security people to assure them of our good will.”



Accra based Joy FM reported that the Ghana Premier League week 8 between Elmina Sharks and Medeama SC ended abruptly after referee Yakubu Nuhu Liman was brutally attacked by the home supporters.

The incident as reported occurred after the first 45 minutes of the game where supporters of Elmina Sharks were unhappy with certain decisions of the referee thereby pouncing on the match official leaving him with blood oozing from his head.

The reports state further that Elmina Sharks tried covering up the inhumane act of their supporters by tweeting that the referee fell and injured himself. It, however, indicated that Dr Nduom spent about an hour convincing the referee who had finished receiving treatment to restart the game but he (referee) officially called it off.

Read Dr Nduom's full post below