The Premier League of Belize (PLB) has denounced a violent assault against a match official that occurred following Thursday’s competitive fixture between Port Loyola FC and Progresso FC at Marion Jones Sporting Complex. This post-match physical attack has prompted the league’s administration to declare the incident both ‘unacceptable’ and a severe jeopardy to the fundamental integrity and personnel safety within the national football structure.
In an official communiqué, the PLB extended its unequivocal support to the assaulted referee and lauded the rapid intervention executed by officers of the Belize Police Department. Their decisive action was credited with de-escalating a potentially more volatile scenario. Furthermore, the league issued formal commendations for the match-day staff and personnel who maintained professional conduct amidst the public disturbance.
Consequent to this event, the PLB has enacted immediate, compulsory security enhancements for all its sanctioned matches. These proactive measures mandate an elevated presence of law enforcement and private security personnel. The protocol specifically designates heightened vigilance for fixtures classified as high-risk and will enforce rigorously controlled access zones. This strategic separation is designed to eliminate contact between match officials, team members, technical staff, and spectators.
The league asserts that these newly instituted regulations are a direct response aimed at forestalling any recurrence of such violence, with the ultimate objective of safeguarding a secure and professional environment at football events across Belize.