Local football's governing body, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), has condemned the ugly scenes that followed Wednesday night's Digicel Premier League match between top teams Harbour View and Tivoli Gardens at the Harbour View Mini Stadium.

The contest ended in a 1-1 draw, there was an altercation between Harbour View striker Rafeik Thomas, a former player at Tivoli Gardens, and Tivoli Gardens defender Christopher Jackson, who used to play for Harbour View. Both were shown red cards.

The incident sparked a brawl on the field, first between players then spectators joined in. Shots were also fired inside the stands, allegedly by a plain-clothes policeman.

On Thursday, the JFF issued a release and its president, Captain Horace Burrell, promised the strongest possible sanctions.

Statement

The release states:

"The Jamaica Football Federation would like to condemn in the strongest possible way the brawl engaged in by both players and spectators, following the Digicel Premier League match between Harbour View and Tivoli Gardens at the Harbour View Mini Stadium on Wednesday evening. That behaviour marred what would have been a wonderful evening of family entertainment.

"That kind of behaviour goes against everything that our organisation stands for and, by extension, our parent bodies of FIFA, CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union," Burrell was quoted as saying.

He went on: "Those who have played a part in the use of this sport to unify the nation in our march towards the historic qualification for the 1998 World Cup, and those who have used this as a vehicle to bring warring factions together could not have experienced a greater letdown.

"I have instructed the JFF's Disciplinary and Competitions committees to immediately investigate the matter and to deal with it in the firmest possible way allowed by the regulations. We will not allow a few unruly persons to destroy the wonderful game we all love," he added.