AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda maintains that match officials were not attacked during his side’s 2-1 defeat to Tusker FC on Sunday.Hell broke loose on Sunday when Tusker FC scored a late winner against Ingwe at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. Players, officials, and fans protested the late goal scored by Deogratius Ojok saying he was in an offside position although footage, albeit from limited angles shows the striker could have been in an onside when he was put through by Eric Zakayo.Footage later emerged online of a person believed to be one of the club stewards punching one of the referees as they walked down to the tunnel but Shikanda insists that it is in fact the stewards who moved the referees to safety with fans ready to pounce on them.Ojo Olaniyi with his fourth FKF-PL goal AFC Leopards 1 Tusker FC 2FULL HIGHLIGHTS ➡️ https://t.co/BYsYkD2xvh@Betsafe_KE #OursForever #INGWE pic.twitter.com/MgBtni0Y8Q— AFC Leopards (@AFCLeopards) April 25, 2022 “The issue is being exaggerated. None of our stewards attacked the referee. In fact, contrary to widespread perception, it’s our stewards who escorted the referees to safety when some rogue fans barged into the playing area and accosted the match officials,” he told the Star.Shikanda went ahead to take a swipe at referees saying that they should raise their standards. There has been an outcry by most clubs over the level of officiating in the country and for the Leopards’ supremo, the match officials kept awarding needless fouls to the Brewers prior to the goal that resulted in mayhem at Kasarani.“However, it’s also important for our referees to raise their standards of officiating to the expected levels in order to avert such incidents. You cannot be awarding fouls unnecessarily and then end up allowing our opponents to score from an offside position in the 96th minute. That’s wrong,” he added.Ingwe’s next game will be against KCB at the Nyayo National Stadium. The match will be played on Saturday 30th April.
