Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) offices looted and burnt down

The SIFF office at Lawson Tama was burnt down yesterday evening by a mob of angry Malaita Eagle fans who rioted at the Lawson Tama stadium after the Eagles lost to Honiara.

It appears that fans were unhappy with a disallowed goal by the Malaita Eagles and started shooting stones into the stadium.The referee decided to abandon the game but relented to a call to complete the game.

Six minutes before full time the Honiara squad scored and that was when disgruntled fans went into a mayhem. They stole the gate takings at the gate and then broke into the Sports shop where someone lit the fire and as a result the office was burned down.

The car park and much of the road to China Town was strewn with empty boxes.

Reports from eye witnesses at the scene indicated that certain shops at Chinatown were also looted.

RAMSI Police have been deployed at Lawson Tama and are currently monitoring the situation. Police presence has been stepped up. Eye witnesses also alluded that RAMSI fired blanks at the advancing crowd at Chinatown yesterday evening.

Innocent bystanders and passing vehicles were also threatened and stoned during the chaos.

It is still unclear what this latest incident will do to the Solomon Cup but there are already strong indications that our reputation in OFC has just hit another low point and we have not done much to improve anything including soccer.

This morning (Sunday) the shop owners were standing around with security guards. It was all quiet.

Sources: Lifhaus & Clive Moore