Ajax fans caused the KNVB Cup final on Sunday to be delayed by 25 minutes after throwing fireworks and smoke bombs on the pitch and the Dutch football association KNVB have promised to punish the culprits.
- By Michael Bell
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After only a minute of the Final with PEC Zwolle at De Kuip in Rotterdam, Ajax fans bombarded the pitch with smoke bombs, and although the game played on for a few minutes, eventually the players were hauled off the pitch.
Ajax eventually lost the match 5-1, and speaking afterwards, KNVB director Bert van Oostveen was quick to slam the section of the Amsterdam club’s fans.
He said, “It was an unacceptable start to an outstanding cup final with PEC a fantastic winner,”
“The events in the first five minutes of the game were very disappointing. We will work with the clubs and the local authorities thoroughly to evaluate this and we will try to track down and punish the perpetrators.”
Ajax themselves released the following statement:
“Yesterday should have been a fantastic day for our club and our supporters. Unfortunately a group of visiting companions felt the need to ruin this football feast.
“Our club has been discredited by their reprehensible behaviour. We as management are sincerely ashamed for these people, who imagine themselves to be supporters of our club.
“We have today made a written apology to the KNVB. We also made to apologies to the De Kuip stadium where we were guests.
“We offer PEC Zwolle congratulations again as the winner of the final.
“Meanwhile Ajax has launched an in-depth investigation into the state of affairs. The city of Amsterdam has invited us to enter into consultations in which the police and the Public Prosecution Service will also be involved.
“We will also consult with the KNVB and the supporters association. We will come up with appropriate measures.”
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classy response from ajax, as always