Mamelodi Sundowns Issue Apology to Esperance After Fan Incident
Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club has officially issued an apology to Tunisian club Esperance Sportive de Tunis following an unfortunate incident involving fan misconduct during their recent CAF Champions League encounter. The incident, which took place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, saw Esperance players and staff subjected to hostile behavior from a section of Sundowns supporters.
In a statement released by the club, Sundowns condemned the actions of the unruly fans and reaffirmed their commitment to upholding fair play and sportsmanship. “Mamelodi Sundowns deeply regrets the events that transpired during our match against Esperance. As a club, we pride ourselves on fostering unity, respect, and the spirit of African football. We sincerely apologize to Esperance, their players, officials, and supporters for the unacceptable conduct witnessed during the game, despite the videos and facts indicating that the Sundowns supporters did not initiate the unruly behaviour.” the statement read.
The club further emphasized that they are taking steps to address the situation and prevent such incidents in the future. This includes identifying individuals involved in the misconduct, increasing security measures, and reinforcing the club’s stance against any form of hooliganism.
CAF has also been made aware of the situation, and the governing body is expected to take appropriate action. Meanwhile, Sundowns have reached out to Esperance’s management to personally convey their apologies and reaffirm their commitment to fair competition.
Esperance, a well-respected powerhouse in African football, has yet to officially respond to the apology. However, the Tunisian club is known for advocating mutual respect among teams in the competition.
This incident serves as a reminder of the responsibility that football clubs and their supporters share in maintaining the integrity of the game. Mamelodi Sundowns have assured their fans and the football community at large that they will continue to promote a culture of respect, ensuring that such unfortunate events do not overshadow the beauty of the sport.
This event featured a courageous a Mamelodi Sundowns fan named Siboniso Masango, who rescued the Esperance de Tunis supporter dangling from the corner of the east stand, struggling to hold onto a railing on the north stand at Loftus. Siboniso emerged as the hero when he successfully saved the Esperance supporter from death.
“He immediately said to me ‘Please! Please! Don’t let go. I have three kids!’,” said Masango referring to the Esperance fan. “I was calling for help and none of the Esperance fans were willing to help.” When asked about the challenges he faced, he said to SABC News: “At first I grabbed his forearm to just steady his grip on the railing because he was slipping and so I told him ‘Am going to pull you up by your backpack; as I pull you up, I want you to try and lift up your knees so you can get your legs as top as possible’ and he just did that a couple of times until he eventually managed to get up,” explained Siboniso.
Sundowns awaits a full report from the Match Commissioner and is committed to cooperating with CAF to finalize its investigation ahead of the return leg against Esperance de Tunis in Tunisia on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 at 21:00.