On Wednesday last week, some rowdy fans threw missiles onto the pitchside during Zambia’s Copper Queens’ 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifier against Ghana at the Levy Mwanawansa Stadium in Ndola.
Empty alcohol bottles were thrown onto the running track, injuring some pitchside journalists and fans on the terraces.
The Football Association of Zambia President, Andrew Kamanga, has since stated that the association will increase security to keep hooligans out of the stadium during international matches.
“We are a bit concerned with some few unsavoury incidences of fans throwing missiles on the pitch either in celebration or protest,” said Kamanga
Kamanga continued: “That is hardly a good advert of the Zambian game to the rest of the World. We will be taking drastic steps going forward, including utilizing the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance available at the stadium to identify and punish erring fans.”
FAZ on alcoholic beverages at stadiums
The FAZ boss also said they will tighten screening at the stadium and won’t allow any beer in the stadium.
“We will be looking at enhanced security screening for fans entering the stadium with a possible ban on alcoholic beverages. There has not been strict adherence to the smuggling of bottled beverages into the stadium, which we have to curb urgently.
“These measures are necessary as we run the risk of being banned from playing our matches at home. Inevitably, fans will be denied the opportunity to celebrate their national teams at their own turf which is not only retrogressive but also expensive,” Kamanga said.
Zambia advanced to the final round of the Olympic qualifiers after defeating Ghana 4-3 on aggregate, with a 1-0 win and a 3-3 draw over two legs.
The Copper Queens will meet Morocco in April in a decider that will determine one of Africa’s representative Olympics.
The other tie will be between South Africa and Nigeria.
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