Referee Attacked And Chased At Ebonyi Governor’s Cup Final
A football referee was attacked and chased around a stadium by angry players and supporters after the final of the Ebonyi Governor’s Cup on Sunday.
The referee was chased and ran for his life following alleged poor officiating during the match between Ishielu LGA and Ebonyi LGA teams. Governor Francis Nwifuru had to intervene to rescue him from the mob.
During the prize ceremony later, Nwifuru condemned the “shameful and embarrassing” incident. He said while people can complain about referees, getting physical is unprofessional.
The governor announced officials for future competitions will now come from outside Ebonyi to prevent similar violence. He praised the sports commissioner for organizing the event to empower youths despite the unfortunate attack.
Ebonyi LGA won the cup 2-1 over Ishielu LGA, while third place went to Ohaozara LGA after beating Izzi LGA 1-0.
The attack on the referee marred the final but the governor aims to prevent recurrences by taking preventive measures. Authorities seek to promote sportsmanship and fair play for youth competitions going forward.
