Sports News of Saturday, 21 April 2018

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Eddie Doku calls for jail sentence for football hooligans

Eddie Doku Eddie Doku

Referees Committee Chairman and Executive Committee member of the GFA Nii Komieteh Doku has charged the police to process any hooligan for court and be jailed if found guilty.

Eddie Doku alluded that any football fan found to have been involved in any act of hooliganism at league centres should be jailed in prison.

The Ghana Premier League week 8 clash between Elmina Sharks and Medeama SC played at the Nduom Sports Complex in Elmina on Wednesday ended abruptly after referee Yakubu Nuhu Liman was brutally attacked by the home supporters.

It is the second time Liman has been assaulted this season after he was attacked by fans of Chelsea following their 1-1 draw against Dreams FC last month.

There have been other attacks on referees this season in the Division One League at Dormaa and Swedru.

The Premier League Board and several leading members in Ghana football have condemned the rampant attacks on referees in the country and have called for strict punishment for offenders.

But speaking on Otec FM in Kumasi, Eddie Doku condemned the actions of the fans and called on the FA to take serious action.

"It's disheartening to hear referees are attacked during league matches. I don't think the FA will condone such act," he said.

"We need to investigate and punish people for those acts (hooliganism). We will deal with the issue drastically and will not spare anybody. As I am speaking now, I know Berekum Chelsea is serving a ban and it goes with other fines.”

"It is about time people start going to prison for assaulting referees," he concluded.

Nuhu Liman was hit with a stone while he was entering the dressing room after the first half and was greeted with some slaps in addition by some macho men who were in the tunnel at the Nduom Sports Complex in Elmina on Wednesday.

The actions of the irate fans did not go unnoticed as there were some journalists at the spot who captured the scenes on camera.