The sport of football took another critical blow with the announcement that the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) had suspended the NAMILCO Football Festival after a stabbing incident on Friday night’s opening games at the Tucville Playfield.
A superb night of football was cut short when a fight broke out among spectators during the Pele/Riddim Squad showdown causing the match to be abandoned after an individual was stabbed.
General Secretary of the GFF, Noel Adonis, yesterday told Stabroek Sports that a General Council Meeting (GCM) was held yesterday morning to address the matter.
“We have decided to suspend the tournament pending investigations from the disciplinary committee. We have received reports from the referees and organizers and we are awaiting a report from Riddim Squad,” Adonis said.
“This decision is an interim one and we should be able to make a decision by Monday when we have gathered all the reports,” he added.
Fruta Conquerors’ Vice President, Ivor Thompson, stated that he saw no problem with the GFF suspending the tournament and that he did not expect a decision since it was the weekend.
“I expected not to get a ruling immediately on the matter, but a decision should be made soon and hopefully by Wednesday we will get the tournament running again,” Thompson said.
Thompson said he had spoken to the sponsors of the tournament and they too were awaiting the decision to recommence the tourney.
On the subject of security for the tournament Thompson disclosed that there were private security officer in and around the ground and also members of the Tactical Service Unit (TSU) or ‘Black Clothes Police’ making brief checks on the venue.
Prior to the incident, Riddim Squad and Pele contested a steaming showdown with newcomers, Riddim Squad, drawing first blood in the second half before Pele equalized not long after.
In the curtain raiser Sunburst Camptown thrashed Uprising FC 4 – 1 to move on to the next round of the competition.
Camptown drew first blood in the 26th minute from a Kwame LaFluer strike and Camptown led 1 – 0 going into the second half.
The second half saw Camptown doubling their lead when Lance Rawlston struck in the 58th then Rensford Coleridge pulled one back for Uprising in the 60th minute.
Goals from Telston McKinnon and Nigel Codrington in the 67th and 78th minutes sealed the lid on Uprising.
