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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Leopards save face as Gor Mahia feign ignorance of SportPesa sponsorship exit

Football

By Gilbert Wandera | Apr 28, 2016

**Fans trouble marred the Kenyan Premier League encounter between Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards at Nyayo Stadium on August 23, 2015. The Match was called off midway. [Photo: DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]**

Perhaps stung by the suspension of shirt sponsorship by SportPesa, AFC Leopards have acted fast to curb hooliganism.

The club has taken action against a steward who stormed the pitch during their abandoned league match against Ulinzi Stars last Saturday.

But while Leopards have gone into overdrive, trying to bring sanity in their den, Gor Mahia, who also suffered the same fate, insist they have not received any official communication from the company and accused Football Kenya Federation (FKF) “of making emotional rules”.

In a statement, AFC Leopards said the steward and fan who stormed the pitch during the Ulinzi match has been banned from attending the remaining Ingwe matches this season.

“...As the team prepares for Wednesday’s match against Western Stima in Kisumu, AFC Leopards IMC has condemned spectator violence witnessed in Mumias during their match against Ulinzi Stars.

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“The club has commenced investigations into the matter and shall be issuing a comprehensive statement at latter date.

“In the meantime, the steward, who was captured on camera running into the field of play has been suspended from the club and subsequently banned from attending club matches till the end of the season.

“Another fan also captured on camera entering the field of play during the match against City Stars has been banned from attending club matches until the end of the season. Both cases are now being handled by the police...” the club wrote.

In a separate statement, the club’s co-chairman Dan Mule said they support measures outlined by FKF in dealing with the vice.

“We fully support measures outlined by FKF and believe they will go a long way to end the vice,” he said.

The measures include docking of points, playing in empty stadia and paying of hefty fines by clubs and players.

But Gor Mahia Acting Secretary General Ronald Ngala said: “As a club, we have not received any communication from the sponsors about the suspension nor have they engaged us before taking such action.”

Meanwhile, Western Stima defeated AFC Leopards 2-1 in a midweek encounter at Kisumu’s Moi Stadium.

Elsewhere, Gor Mahia take on Bandari today in Mombasa, while at Machakos Stadium, Tusker will play Mathare United. —Additional reporting by Philip Orwa