protected by riot police at the half-time of the 2015 African Cup of
Nations semi-final football match between Equatorial Guinea and
Ghana in Malabo, on February 5, 2015.)
Equatorial Guinea's football federation was fined $100,000 on Friday
after at least 36 people were injured when angry home fans threw
bottles and rocks and clashed with riot police during their team's
semifinal loss at the African Cup of Nations.
The Confederation of African Football also ordered the Equatorial
Guinea federation to pay for the treatment of all the people injured
in the ugly scenes on Thursday at Malabo Stadium.
The match was halted for over 30 minutes late in the second half as
Ghanaian fans fled the missiles being thrown at them, forced open a
gate, and ran onto the field to huddle for safety behind one of the
goals.
Riot police fired tear gas at the Equatorial Guinea fans, and a
helicopter hovered dangerously low over the stands, whipping up debris
as authorities tried to restore order. The Ghanafans were escorted out
of the stadium by security for their own safety.
Of the 36 people injured, 14 were taken to the hospital, CAF said. One
person required "close monitoring," but CAF gave no more details.
Although the Ghanaplayers and officials were also targeted with
bottles when they left the field at halftime, there were no reports
they were among the wounded, which were believed to be mainly
supporters.
Still, the GhanaFootball Association said the stadium became like "a
war zone" for its fans, players and officials.
Ghanadominated and won the semifinal 3-0, while Equatorial Guinea's
biggest ever soccermatch ended up being a major embarrassment for the
small, oil-rich Central African country.
It was praised for stepping in at the last moment to host the African
Cup after Morocco pulled out over Ebola fears. However, the violence --
with fans later running from baton-wielding riot police -- has
completely overshadowed the tournament.
A third punishment for Equatorial Guinea -- forcing it to play its next
home game without any fans -- was suspended, CAF said in a statement
following a meeting of its disciplinary committee in Bata. That means
Equatorial Guinea's rowdy supporters will be allowed to return to
Malabo Stadium for Saturday's third-place game against a wary Congo
team.
"If they're throwing this at players, Eq Guinea, you can have 3rd
place, I love football but prefer to live," Congo player Gabriel
Zakuani wrote on Twitter on Friday. His tweet was in response to
photographs posted by a British reporter of a rock, a broken plate,
and a large jagged piece of broken glass found on the Malabo field
after Thursday's chaos.
CAF said it was not going to ban fans from Saturday's game, "to
promote a spirit of fair play and brotherhood" at the tournament. CAF
said in the same statement that the fine for Equatorial Guinea's
federation was because of the fans' "aggressive behaviour," and for
them being "repeat offenders."
CAF had already warned Equatorial Guinea over the conduct of its
supporters and fined it $5,000 after there was trouble in the stands
in the quarterfinals, a contentious 2-1 win over Tunisia at Bata
Stadium last weekend.
Ghana will face tournament favourite Ivory Coast in the final on
Sunday at Bata Stadium.
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