May 10, 2021
By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Sierra Leone Premier League Board on the 6th May 2021 has decided on the abandoned match between Bai Bureh Warriors Football club Vs. East End Lions Football club match where both teams lock horns in the ongoing Sierra Leone Premier League at the Port Loko Mini Stadium last weekend in which the match ended in a fracas. The centre man awarded a penalty in favor of Bai Bureh Warrior’s which East End Lions fans invaded the pitch.
According to the Premier league Board having read the match Commissioner’s report stating, inter alia, that ” a group of supporters putting on East End Lions jersey rushed at the officiating team , accusing them of being biased in officiating the game and further threatened that if they are not careful they would be beaten before the end of the game.
The report stated that the central referee was persistently receiving death threats from East End Lions fans, it was very clear that East End Lions supporters stormed the field of play in protest against the penalty which was awarded in favor of Bai Bureh Warriors.
According to the Central referee special excerpt report stated that supporters of East End Lions invaded the field using abusive language and threatening remarks on him and did not allow the penalty kick to be taken and that was why the match was abandoned.
The match Commissioner said before the match kick off he observed that hundreds of supporters of East End Lions entered the field without paying any gate taken “although efforts to stop them proved futile, the report stated.”
Cognizant to Rule 24 of the Premier league rules and Regulations, as of 2009 ( hereafter) rules and particular paragraph (d) of the same which states that where “Player’s, supporter’s, or …officials of a team initiate an act responsible for the abrupt end of a match,” it shall warrant the forfeiture of the said match.
The Board decision said mindful of the Penalty in respect of the offence referenced…..the offending team shall be considered as having lost the match, and accordingly three (3) points and three goals shall be awarded in favor of other team.
Further mindful of Rule 34.3 of the Rule which provide that “clubs be shall held responsible for the misconduct of their supporters before, during and after a match”
In that circumstances therefore, the PLB hereby ordered as follows:
1. That three (3) points and three goals are awarded in favor of Bai Bureh Warriors Football club.
2. That East End Loins Football club are fined 2,500,000 (Two Million, five Hundred Thousand Leones) to be paid in the SL Premier league Account: 210-100003-01 at the Union Trust Bank and receipt of payment made available to the Secretariat of the Premier league Board on or before honoring their next league fixtures.
According to a statement from East End Lions Football club they are dismay with the decision of the Premier league board, as there was no officially communication from the PLB and they were never summoned to attend any formal disciplinary hearing by the Premier league board. Their next plan is to challenge this decision to the highest football adjudicating body if necessary, as stated in their press release.
According to Alhaji Sankoh colleague working for Bankasoka Radio FM from Port Loko Bai Bureh Warriors team is pleased with the outcome of the decision taken by the board as the team is currently in high spirit preparing for their next league fixtures against Central Parade in Freetown.