A crucial Malta Guinness Women's Premier League match descended into chaos on Sunday, January 18, leaving match officials injured and a player hurt in a violent pitch invasion that has thrown a harsh spotlight on safety and security in Ghanaian football.
The unrest erupted at Techiman Urban Park following a dramatic conclusion to the match between Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC and FC Savannah Ladies GH.
FC Savannah Ladies were moments away from securing a 2-1 victory in stoppage time before Ampem Darkoa mounted a stunning comeback, equalising in the 92nd minute and snatching a winner in the fifth minute of added time.
Immediately after the final whistle, tensions boiled over. Angry supporters invaded the pitch, leading to violent confrontations targeting match officials and players alike. Central referee Lovia Boadiwaa Duodo was reportedly singled out, assaulted, and sustained injuries as she was escorted to safety.
The violence was not confined to the officials. One player for FC Savannah Ladies was also injured in the chaotic melee.
The violent scenes have triggered widespread condemnation from across the football community and the public, who are calling for decisive action. The incident is the latest in a disturbing pattern within women's football in Ghana, highlighting a chronic failure to protect participants.
As of Monday, January 19, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has not issued any official statement regarding the Techiman incident.
Stakeholders and media are demanding a thorough investigation, strong sanctions, and, most urgently, concrete measures to guarantee the safety and security of all participants in women's football.
Visual evidence of the chaos has spread widely online, fuelling public outrage and highlighting a crisis that the football authorities can no longer ignore.
Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS