Asante Kotoko have condemned the behaviour of some of their supporters who went on a missile-throwing spree at the Baba Yara Stadium during and after the club’s league game clash with Berekum Chelsea on Sunday.
Furious fans of the club who were displeased with officiating during their match, caused disturbances leading to a fan being allegedly shot by a police officer.
The fan who was seen in Kotoko jersey has been identified as Augustine Opoku.
A statement issued on Monday by Kotoko said “Hooliganism is one thing no professional club wants to be associated with and we at Asante Kotoko will not endorse any such thing.
“Ware saddened that the reaction of some of the disappointed fans after the match led to the reprehensible developments including the shooting and injury of an innocent supporter.”
The statement added that “While we vehemently condemn the conduct of any unruly fan, we find it difficult to accept the behaviour of the police officer who allegedly shot a fan.”
Below is the full statement:
“We are appalled by the events that characterised the club’s matchday three fixture against Berekum Chelsea on Sunday 12th January 2020 at the Baba Yara Stadium in the 2019120 Ghana Premier League,” said a statement signed by Public Relations Officer, Kennedy Boakye-Ansah.
“Hooliganism is one thing no professional football club wants to be associated with and we at Asante Kotoko SC will not endorse any such thing. We are saddened that, the reaction of some of the disappointed fans after the match led to reprehensible developments including the shooting and injuring of an innocent supporter.”
“While we vehemently condemn the conduct of any unruly fan, we find it difficult to accept the behaviour of the Police officer who allegedly shot a fan. We maintain our abhorrence for hooliganism. Violence cannot be part of the game. We will not give excuses for what happened.”
“We are however compelled to state our displeasure with the shooting incident. We will liaise with the Ghana Police Service to bring the matter to appropriate conclusion while we continue to seek medical attention for our injured fan. “We appeal to our supporters to remain calm and note that no matter the circumstance, exercising restraint is always a good option.”
“Management will team up with the Ghana Football Association and other stakeholders of the game to ensure that, discipline and decency are brought to our venue all the time,” the statement concluded.
Source: Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah| Adomonline.com