The match that was bringing together the Al-Ahed team against its counterpart, Al-Ansar, was stopped at the Fouad Shehab Complex stadium in JouniehAl-Ansar fans objected to the arrest of one of the fans by the security forces after he entered the stadium, 8 minutes before the end of the match.
The army deployed in the vicinity of the stadium, following the mobile clashes that moved from inside the stadium to the outside, amid political and sectarian chants by the fans of both teams.
Commenting on the problems, the mayor of Jounieh, Joan Hobeish, confirmed in a statement that “we will not close the Fouad Chehab Complex in front of the matches, and the chairs are suitable, but what is not suitable is the souls, and I hold the responsibility for the clubs that did not fulfill their duty to calm the fans.”
In the context, Representative Simon Abi Ramia considered, in a statement to him on social media, that “what is happening in President Fouad Chehab’s stadium in Jounieh of acts of violence confirms the correctness of what the Parliamentary Youth and Sports Committee did last week in sounding the alarm and requesting the establishment of a coordination committee between Unions and security services to prevent such actions. He stressed that “it is required to arrest the rioters and take the maximum penalties.”
This match had also been stopped earlier, after Al-Ansar fans objected to the referee’s decision, due to the cancellation of the equalizing goal in the 65th minute by Nader Matar, and a foul was counted in favor of the team.
It is noteworthy that the result of this match indicated that Al-Ahed team advanced by 3-2, as part of the final round of the top six of the Lebanese Football Championship.
