YANGON (13 Aug 2013) – Following the latest incident of violence in the Myanmar National League (MNL), the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) are looking at ways to educate fans so to avoid future occurrence.
The final game of the MNL 2013 season between newly crowned champions Yangon United and Naypyidaw FC at the Wunna Theikdi Stadium last week was called off in the 37 minutes when fans from both teams clashed.
“We are arranging to conduct an education program for spectators so they will be more polite when cheering,” said MFF president Zaw Zaw after the match.
“The chaos was due to drunken spectators. Being drunk, they couldn’t understand what was wrong or what was right.”
With at least 10,000 Naypitaw fans and more than 1,000 Yangon United supporters, the game was always going to be volatile at the newly opened Wunna Theikdi Stadium which has a capacity of 30,000.
Following some early exchanges by fans at the stand, the game took a turn in the 32nd minute when Yangon United was awarded a penalty that was converted by Cesar.
Tensions flared up just five minutes later following a pitch incident between Yangon United’s Yan Aung Kyaw and Naypyidaw defender Khine Htoo which resulted in missiles being thrown from the stand including the stadium seats.
