Dutch league match canceled due to smoke bombs

Groningen’s Dutch Premier League match with Ajax Amsterdam was canceled nine minutes after it started after smoke bombs were thrown onto the pitch for the second time on Sunday.

The match was stopped after six minutes after smoke bombs were thrown, and shortly thereafter a Groningen fan stormed the pitch carrying a banner calling for the board to leave.

Groningen’s relegation to the second division was confirmed last week, as it ranks penultimate with 18 points, 11 points behind safety, three rounds from the end.

The referees and players left the stadium, and when they returned to resume the match, the fans threw smoke bombs for the second time, so the referee decided to cancel the confrontation in accordance with the regulations of the Dutch Federation that he set last month.

The local federation changed its regulations after riots in the semi-final of the Dutch Cup between Feyenoord and Ajax at the beginning of April and the injury of Ajax player Davy Claassen.

And the federation decided to stop any match when anything collided with a referee or player, while play stopped with the players returning to the dressing rooms if the fans threw things but did not collide with a player or referee, and if the matter was repeated, the match would be canceled.

The new regulations could not reduce the problems in the league, as three matches, on Friday and Saturday, were suspended for a short period before resuming.