To reduce fan trouble at international games, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has increased security checks at entry points at the Levy Mwanawansa stadium in Ndola ahead of this Friday’s match between the Copper Queens and the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco.
The two will face off in the first leg of the final round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Women’s Football Tournament, with the second leg taking place in Morocco on April 9, 2024.
Andrew Kamanga, the FAZ president, announced the development on Monday morning in his weekly column, the President Corner.
“As we prepare for Friday’s match, we wish to remind fans fond of throwing things on the pitch either in celebration or protest to avoid doing so as there will be severe consequences,” Kamanga warned.
During the Copper Queens’ match against Ghana in February, several fans were seen throwing objects on the pitch, injuring some stewards and photographers.
He continued: “On our part, we have doubled our security checks at entry points and also plan to make use of the already installed Closed Circuit Television at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.”
The FAZ boss also stated that vendors will not be permitted to sell bottled beverages inside the stadium.
“Vendors have also been served notice not to sell any beverages in bottled forms but to provide the requisite plastic cups. We all have a duty to preserve our privilege to host home matches for our national teams on home soil. Consequences for some of the unsavory incidences we witness could be having to play our home matches on foreign soil.”
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