Ports Authority Football Club have been fined NLe 6000 for physically assaulting a referee on 27 February 2023 during a Sierra Leone Premier League match.

According to the report, during the 90th + 4 minutes of play in the match between Lamboi Fc and Port Authority FC, the Centre Referee awarded a direct free kick to Ports Authority FC. Before the release of the ball, four Ports Authority players were in an offside position. Assistant Referee 1 raised his flag for offside so the Centre Referee sounded his whistle to acknowledge him.

Thereafter, supporters of Ports Authority FC physically attacked the Centre Referee and started kicking him on his feet and damaging the electronic flag that Assisting Referee 1 used in the match.

However, the security personnel came to his rescue.

Meanwhile, Article 46.1 of the Rules and Regulations of the League prohibits anyone from insulting and /or using offensive gestures or language against someone. Articles 46.2 and 46.3 ascribe and describe the person(s) and sanctions that will be meted out to defaulters of this provision.

Apart from being described as supporters of the Ports Authority, the identity of those who attacked, hit, kicked, and even broke the electronic flag of Assistant Referee 1 is unknown. Therefore, Ports Authority FC is hereby held responsible and culpable for the negative conduct of its supporters.

The punishment to forestall such misconduct was unanimously agreed by the Committee that Ports Authority FC should pay the sum of six thousand New Leones (NLe 6000) as fine.