Ghanaian football fans still lack the needed education on conduct at match venues, and have still learnt no lessons from the May 9 stadium disaster, according to referee Jacob Wilson Sey.
The 2001 May 9 stadium disaster occurred at the Accra sports stadium during a league match between Accra Hearts of Oak and rivals Asante Kotoko, which claimed 126 lives due to stampede.
Supporters of Asante Kotoko began the violence in protest against a second goal scored by the home side Accra Hearts of Oak, on grounds that the goal was an offside. Police, in response fired teargas to disperse the unruly crowd, which led to stampede, making people die out of suffocation.
Commemorating the incident 21 years on, the centre referee of the said match, Jacob Wilson Sey has stated that Ghanaian football fans and even the media have not learnt any lessons from the incident, citing recent happenings at various match venues.
Sey also blamed the media for running inciting commentaries that causes spectators to misconduct themselves.
“Ghanaians especially we don’t learn, we don’t learn anything, because certain things that are happening are due to our actions and inactions. So when you take action and that action does not bring any impact, then why do you continue to do it? In our football circles, for instance, the spectators are always suspecting somebody. Sey told Akwaaba 98.1 FM in Berekum, Ghana.
But we watch (English) premiership matches, and even in those matches a lot of human errors do happen which we see on TV, but the (the spectators) don’t go overboard. But here (Ghana) any human error happens and you are accused of having taken bribe, it’s wrong. Even some of us, the media, sometimes you listen to some of the commentary and it’s accusations, and because the spectators listen so much to the commentary (of the media) and believe in the gallery, they believe it’s right.
Most of the supporters watch the matches with passion, but sometimes you need to take your time and watch it well (with technical eyes), but it’s not going like that because the education is not going well”, he said.
