Freetown – The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has opened a formal investigation following ugly scenes of violence that marred the Orange FA Cup quarter-final match between East End Lions and Star Sports Academy over the weekend.
The governing body described the disturbances as “disturbing” and issued a strong condemnation of the incident, stating it “unequivocally” rejects such behaviour.
Several individuals, including the match commissioner, sustained injuries during the chaos. Both clubs have traded accusations, with each side claiming the other instigated the violence.
In a statement issued on Monday, the SLFA expressed zero tolerance for the unrest.
“Such acts of indiscipline and lawlessness have no place in football,” the association said. It pledged to carry out a thorough investigation and impose decisive disciplinary sanctions on all those found responsible, in accordance with its statutes and regulations.
East End Lions also moved quickly to distance itself from the violence, issuing its own statement that labelled the events “disgraceful.”
The club welcomed the SLFA’s investigation and urged that it be conducted swiftly, transparently, and impartially to establish the facts.
The incident has cast a shadow over the domestic cup competition and raised fresh concerns about fan behaviour and security at matches in the country.
Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
