CAF imposes sanctions on hosts Equatorial Guinea after fans’ misbehaviour

The Disciplinary Panel of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Friday in Bata, Equatorial Guinea imposed some sanctions on the hosts of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The sanctions followed Thursday’s semi-final clash between Equatorial Guinea and the Black Stars of Ghana in Malabo, which the latter won 3-0.

The match, the competition’s second semi-final match, had been marred by fans’ unruly behavior late in the second half.

A report on the CAF website said its disciplinary body reviewed the match officials’ reports and acted in accordance with Articles 82, 83 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

The articles were in relation to the principles of conduct, responsibility and safety in the organisation of games.

The disciplinary panel therefore decided to have the Equatorial Guinean football federation cover the cost of treatment of all injured persons during the match.

It also imposed on the Equatorial Guinean Federation a fine of $100,000 for aggressive behaviour and being repeat offenders.

``The team of Equatorial Guinea will also play their next game behind closed doors/in camera and without spectators,’’ the CAF disciplinary body ruled.

The CAF body however granted the Equatorial Guinea football body some reprieve, by suspending the order to play behind closed doors.

``However, to promote a spirit of Fair Play and brotherhood during the AFCON 2015, the Disciplinary Panel decided to suspend the match behind closed doors.

``This is provided that spectators were not guilty of such an offence in the third/fourth place classification match,’’ it said.

NAN reports that Equatorial Guinea are billed to meet Congo DR, who had earlier lost to Cote D’Ivoire, in the competition’s third-place match on Saturday.

The CAF disciplinary body said in the event of a repeat of identical incidents during Saturday’s match, the sanction will come into place.

``We will automatically impose the sanction of playing behind closed doors the Equatorial Guinean team's next official match,’’ it said.

These decisions were reached against an order made to the Equatorial Guinea Federation on Jan. 26 after the match Gabon versus Equatorial Guinea.

A fine of $5,000 was imposed on Feb. 3 on the same federation after the match Tunisia versus Guinea Equatorial for the behaviour of the latter’s fans.

NAN reports that in the Thursday’s match in Malabo, at least 36 people were identified injured by the medical teams present at the stadium following the incidents which marred the game.

All the injured were supported and attended to on site.

A total of 14 others were transferred to hospital units for further investigations, with one case requiring close monitoring.