Arrest the hooligans; jail the guilty ones

A cartoonist impression of violence against referees

As a country very passionate about football, we have tragically failed to deal with hooliganism in our game. That is my candid opinion. I blame not just the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for that dreadful failure but also club administrators and the Police for the growing incidents of wanton violence that is dangerously ruining lives and tarnishing the image of Ghana football.

There must be an end to it now. 

In May 2001, it was at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium where 127 people died sadly because of the gross misbehavior of supporters at a Hearts-Kotoko game. Sending 127 innocent lives suddenly to their graves should have taught us the single most important lesson, that, it’s completely needless for lives to be lost as a result of football.

Check throughout the years and you will find out that no lesson has been learnt. The highly irresponsible behaviour of football fans viciously assaulting people and damaging properties still continue. It’s disgraceful. The football community must bow their heads in shame.

The late Assistant Referee Andoh

Late last week, a budding referee, Kwame Andoh Kyei died days after he was beaten by fans at Bordie in the Western Region where he officiated in a Second Division match between Gold Stars and Naa Joe. I wouldn’t comment too much on the initial media argument, that, the GFA was late in issuing a statement to express their condolences to the bereaved family talk less of them unreservedly condemning the barbaric act of the fans that beat and killed Referee Andoh.

That argument was legitimate but irrelevant now especially when the FA has eventually issued a press release, doing what the media demanded and further tasking the Western Regional Football Association to furnish it with the “full facts” of their preliminary investigation.

The critical issue is that there is increasing violence in our football. Some football fans are turning into beasts and monsters and the Police appear not to be dealing with these brazen miscreants. If I won’t, for example, escape police arrest for harming someone in a community feud, should any football fan be left off the hook for assaulting a referee or a coach?

Violence has been seen at all levels of our league competitions. In May 2013, Kotoko fans in a midweek match against Medeama in Kumasi vandalized the opponent’s team bus. Days later, Berekum Arsenal fans also destroyed Kotoko’s team bus as they also stoned police officers and Kotoko players following a league match at the notorious Golden City Park.

At the Division One level, I am told of recent incidents of violence at match venues. At the game between Techiman City and Atebubu Esperance, Referee Techimenson was brutally assaulted. The same referee was also the victim of fans’ cruelty in the match between Universal Stars and BA Stars. Kwame Tor, the goalie of Universal Star was lucky to have gone home with an eye-cut after he was stoned by an irate fan in that game at the Sunyani Coronation Park.

Another primitive stone-throwing incident was witnessed in the Bofoakwa-BA Stars game at the same venue. In Accra, the referee who was in the Danbort-Unity FC game also went home badly injured. Are we in a jungle? Is Ghana a lawless state? Where from this uncivilized behaviour?

In all the incidents cited above, the response from the GFA, club administrators and the Police was the same. The victims were treated. Fines were imposed on the offending clubs. They were banned for some weeks. No arrests were made. No prosecution. No trial. Nobody was found guilty. The culprits of these reprehensible acts in broad day light who brandished clubs, stones and other offensive weapons; vandalized buses, police cars and injured people went home free.

That is how the FA, club administrators and the Police have collectively dealt with hooliganism. The media can continue supporters’ education. The media can be advised to be professional not to incite fans with unprofessional commentaries and remarks but the callousness won’t stop if fans that perpetuate violence at the stadium are not arrested, prosecuted and jailed if found guilty. The time for the FA, club administrators and the Police to act is now.