Black Stars Supporters Accuse Stadium Guards Of Harassment

Ghanaian supporters who trooped into Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan for the Black Stars game against the Pharaohs of Egypt have expressed their displeasure at alleged harassment by stadium guards.

The disgruntled Ghanaians exclusively opened up to Opemsuo Radio’s Eugene Kwame Anane, who is in the country to cover the Africa Cup of Nations tournament (AFCON), ahead of the game on Thursday night.

According to them, they were denied entry with water and were nearly stripped naked in the name of security protocols at the entrance.

One lady recounted to the Pramaso Sports reporter how they are stressed whenever they go to the stadium to watch Ghana play and urged President Akufo-Addo to have a word with President Alassane Ouattara.

“The Ivorians have been stressing us up today. President Akufo-Addo must hear this and speak with his Ivorian counterpart because we are all Africans. They mistreated us at the entrance of the stadium. They denied us access into the stadium. They pushed us and took our bottled water away from us. Just because we want to watch the game, they want to strip us naked. They spayed pepper on us last week and they repeated that today. Where did we go wrong?”

A disappointed gentleman who also spoke to Anane claimed spectators are treated as “animals” by the guards.

“They are receiving about 700 spectators through a small entrance. Are we animals? What’s the meaning of this? Cote d’Ivoire? I’m disappointed.”

“They are denying us entry with water. Will they be happy if we retaliate this. This is not fair. It’s as if we are not neighbours,” another corroborated.

Ghana is in Group B competing for a fifth title.