Ghana Premier League side Elmina Sharks have denied reports that their fans attacked a referee during their matchday eight clash with Medeama SC on Wednesday.
Centre referee Yakubu Nuhu Liman was believed to have been pelted with stones resulting to a cut on the head leading to an abrupt end of the game after the first 45 minutes.
In a statement signed by the Sharks assistant manager Kelvin Yeboah,the team says that the referee fell by himself in what is seen as blatant attempt to cover up for the ghastly act of their supporters.
Here is the statement below:
It would be recalled that on Wednesday April 18, 2018 a scheduled Ghana premier league match week 8 encounter between Elmina Sharks and Medeama SC at the Nduom Sports Stadium was halted abruptly when Medeama refused to play the second half and walked off the playing field.
We state below the facts as known us pertaining to the injury sustained by referee Nuhu Liman.
Immediately after the whistle went for half time, Elmina Sharks officials, the referees, players and officials made their way to the dressing rooms. The police escorted referee Nuhu Liman out of the pitch into the dressing room.
When the referee got to the foyer, he tripped and fell on one of the policemen present’s baton. The police escorts are witnesses to this. He sustained an injury to his forehead.
At this point we make the following observations.
The Nduom Sports stadium is a secured place where supporters have no access to either the inner perimeter nor the dressing rooms.
On match days the facility is manned by a combined force of Sterlin Protection Security Ltd and a team of police personnel drawn from the municipal police headquarters.
We, at this point wish to state that we’ll collaborate and with any investigation the league organisers wish to launch into the incident to unravel the truth.
It’s worth noting that for over a year since Elmina Sharks FC made an entry into the premier league, the club has had no issue whatsoever with crowd control and violence at its venue, the Nduom Sports stadium which successfully hosted two matches in last year’s WAFU tournament hosted by Ghana.
We state unequivocally that, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom went to the dressing rooms of Medeama SC, Elmina Sharks and the referees to ascertain for himself, first-hand what has happened. Nowhere did he appeal or plead for the resumption of the game as alleged by some media outlets. The match officials after assessing the situation determined that play could resume.
We further reiterate our commitment to developing Ghana football through healthy competition.
Signed
Kelvin Aboagye Yeboah
