BATA, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Equatorial Guinea’s football federation was fined $100,000 on Friday after at least 36 people were injured in crowd violence during the host country’s loss to Ghana in the semifinals of the African Cup of Nations.
The Confederation of African Football also ordered the Equatorial Guinea federation to pay for the treatment for all those people hurt when home fans threw bottles, rocks and other objects at Ghanaian fans, players and officials during Thursday night’s game at Malabo Stadium.
Of the 36 people injured, 14 were taken to the hospital, CAF said. The African football body said one person required “close monitoring” but gave no more details.
A third punishment — forcing Equatorial Guinea to play its next home game without any fans — was suspended, CAF said following a meeting of its disciplinary committee in Bata.
That means Equatorial Guinea’s supporters will be allowed to return to Malabo Stadium for Saturday’s third-place game against Congo.
Ghanaian fans fled onto the field for safety and huddled behind a goal after they were pelted with bottles, rocks and other objects, causing the referee to halt the game late in the second half. Riot police moved in and fired tear gas at the Equatorial Guinea supporters and a helicopter hovered dangerously low over the stands, whipping up debris.
The game was held up for more than 30 minute while order was restored. Ghana won the game 3-0.
Home fans had also thrown bottles at Ghana’s players as they left the field at halftime, and the players had to be protected by shield-carrying riot police when they ran off and again when they ran back onto the pitch for the second half.
CAF said Friday that the fine for Equatorial Guinea’s federation was because of the fans’ “aggressive behavior” and for them being “repeat offenders.”
CAF had already warned Equatorial Guinea over the conduct of its rowdy supporters and fined it $5,000 after there was trouble in the stands during its previous match, a contentious 2-1 win over Tunisia at Bata Stadium.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.