Benni McCarthy Sends Message to Fans, CAF After Restricted Access to Kasarani Stadium
- Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has supported CAF's move to impose a partial ban on Kasarani Stadium
- CAF directed that only 27,000 tickets be sold for Kenya's game against Zambia after breaches the previous week
- In his message to the fans, McCarthy pinpointed what must be done before CAF allows Kasarani to be filled to capacity again
Benni McCarthy has shared his thoughts on CAF's new guidelines on how many fans can be allowed inside Kasarani Stadium.
Source: Twitter
Following widespread crowd trouble, the continental governing body cracked the whip on Kenya last week, limiting the capacity to only 60%.
There were heightened security measures at the stadium on Sunday ahead of the Harambee Stars game against Zambia, with only fans with valid tickets allowed entry.
The fan attendance was later announced as 26, 986 which is just 14 below the required 27,000. The announcement was met by boos as fans expressed their displeasure at the CAF directive.
Kenyan fans have been very vocal and enthusiastic about the national team, roaring them on as they topped Group A.
It is a factor that head coach McCarthy has admitted has helped propel the team forward, especially when they got red cards against Angola and DR Congo.
Against Zambia, the stadium was still loud, but there were many empty seats just behind the technical area, near the VIP section where President William Ruto, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and other dignitaries were seated.
Benni McCarthy supports CAF directive
Speaking after the game, McCarthy backed CAF's decision to limit the number of fans, stating that crowd trouble can often generate disastrous outcomes.
"I think from an organisation perspective, CAF has rules that everyone has to follow, and if you breach them, then of course there will be sanctions, and it was due to our fault.
"It was amazing to have all the fans there, but I think we have to do it respectfully. Stick to the rules; people shouldn't breach games because I've seen the consequences of breaching games, how devastating it can be in football. CAF, as a governing body, I think they're only looking out for fans and players and everybody's best interest and safety is the most important thing."
Source: Getty Images
McCarthy sends message to CAF, fans
The former Amazulu and Cape Town coach urged fans to observe the rules, even as he hoped CAF would lift the sanctions ahead of the quarter-final against Madagascar.
"Hopefully, people can be more respectful. Going forward, I think if there can be a better order, people don't breach gates and stuff, we will be allowed to see full stadiums but in an orderly fashion so that fans' safety comes first."
McCarthy was also content with the fans that showed up to cheer them on to the 1-0 win over the Chipolopolo, but won't mind having a full stadium again.
"For my standards, it was enough fans. It was unbelievable, the ones that were there, but I think examples have to be made, and that was the example. So hopefully fans could be a bit more respectful, then CAF will allow the stadium to be filled like we've seen in the previous games"
Where to get Kenya vs Madagascar tickets
The ticket sales for Kenya's quarter-final match against Madagascar are expected to go on sale soon on the official vendor, chan.mookh.
The game will be held at Kasarani Stadium on Friday, August 22, from 5 pm. Tickets have been going for KSh 200 for regular and KSh 500 for Silver tickets. VIP and VVIP are by invitation only.
It is not known yet whether CAF will relax its guidelines and allow more fans into the stadium following a successful game on Sunday.
Why were fans made to walk through barricade maze?
Security officials mounted roadblocks around the stadium with multiple ticket verification points to make the process seamless.
Fans were forced to walk around long barricades inside the stadium, with many voicing their frustrations at the tedious process.
There were no major issues reported with the game going on without a fuss, as the heightened security measures worked to great effect.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
